Never Too Late
by momothelemur
Summary: [Sequel to The Journey] Katara doesn't want her friends to know about her relationship with Zuko just yet, which causes problems. These problems get worse when the Gaang arrive at Siyu, a mysterious town with strange inhabitants...[Zutara]
1. Trouble In Sandy Hell

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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Sand blew lightly across the cool desert night, the gentle wind it was riding on breezing through miles of the same scenery: rock, sand, cactus, until it came to a group of people, undoubtedly travellers, sleeping soundly on a large blanket. At least, most of the people were sleeping soundly. A teenage girl with brown braided hair and blue attire was hunched over where the blanket met the sand. She had brought her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them, hugging her legs to herself in a comforting way. The girl's beautiful cerulean eyes shone with sadness as they fixed on the distance. She didn't move, scarcely blinked and it was obvious that her mind was elsewhere.

"Something the matter?" Whispered a voice. Katara turned around, startled, to see Zuko sit himself down next to her. She glanced at him, before switching her focus back to the sandy hills ahead of them.

"No." She murmured in reply, her soft voice barely audible despite the silent night around them. "Just thinking."

"It's kind of late to be thinking." Zuko said, placing his arm around Katara's shoulders, and gently drawing her towards him. Katara willingly leant in to Zuko, laying her head down on his chest. In turn, Zuko rested his head onto Katara's, kissing it softly. To strangers it looked as though the two were a couple. To the sleeping group behind them, however, they were nothing more than acquaintances, barely tolerant of each other. The only people who knew of Zuko and Katara's feelings for each other were Toph and Iroh, Zuko's uncle. The rest of the group, Katara's brother Sokka, Aang the Avatar and Kuei the Earth King didn't - and if Katara had her say, never would - know about the teenager's romance.

As if reading her mind, Zuko spoke, moving his head slightly so that he could talk clearly.

"We're going to have to tell them sooner or later."

Katara sighed heavily and disentangled herself from Zuko's embrace. When she was free, she shuffled away a little, and turned to face him.

"We've had this conversation." She sighed again in exasperation.

"Yet you still refuse to face facts." Zuko reminded her, a hard undertone to his teasing voice.

Instead of look Zuko in the eyes, Katara focused her gaze on the sand below them, running her fingers through the cold grains. The sand caressed her hand gently and Katara dug her hand deeper. Bringing it up, she watched, mesmerized, as the grains slipped through her fingers and back onto the ground, like a continuous cycle. Katara was about to push her fingers into the sand again when Zuko's hand pressed down on her own, stopping her. Katara unwillingly raised her head, allowing her sapphire eyes to meet Zuko's golden ones.

"Why don't you want them to know?" He asked quietly, keeping his hand placed protectively over Katara's smaller one. "Are you ashamed of me?"

"No!" Katara burst out before she could stop herself. She winced, fearful that she may have woke someone up. A fleeting look over her shoulder assured her that everyone was still asleep. Turning back around, she faced Zuko again.

"No." She repeated, more softly this time. "I could never be ashamed of you."

Despite all the bad things he had done, mainly to Aang and his friends, including Katara, he was a different person now and she trusted him implicitly. She knew that Zuko regretted every stupid thing he had done, and sought to repent. This made Katara so proud of him, making it impossible to be ashamed of him.

"Then why the big secret? Why the sneaking around after everyone's gone to sleep? Stealing moments together when we're supposed to be checking for towns or food?" Zuko asked, listing everything they had done to be try to be together without the group knowing.

It had been five days since the group had escaped from Ba Sing Se into the desert, and every day proved a new challenge. As there were so many people now travelling with them, food was becoming a problem. Iroh had suggested that it would be a good idea to keep on travelling, not to stay in one place for more than a day. Although everyone agreed that this was the best thing to do, it proved tiresome to pack everything up only to unload it again a few miles on. Each new place they settled, which seemed just to be different sections of the desert, there were different tasks to be carried out. On the second day, it was decided that it would be better to give the same people the same tasks. Because Zuko and Katara had volunteered to look for a nearby village first, it was now their job every time the group stopped somewhere new. It was in this time that Zuko and Katara would act just like every other couple their age would: teasing each other, kissing and enjoying the time they spent alone together. After each pointless search, the couple would head back to wherever Sokka had suggested they set up camp and pretend to be nothing more than almost-friends. Katara was fine with this setup, but she could tell that it was annoying Zuko. Twice now he had almost slipped up and broadcasted his feelings, only stopping when Katara glared or nudged him. Both nights, if not more, after this had happened, there had been a (sometimes heated) argument between the two, which would always end the same way; Zuko would press Katara to tell everyone, and she would refuse, resulting in him stalking off.

Tonight looked set to be no different.

"It's just that Sokka and Aang are my family, and-"

"If they were your family then they'd be happy for you." Zuko cut in, clearly bored of having this same argument.

"The Fire Nation wiped out Aang's entire culture, and they killed mine and Sokka's mother. Somehow I can't see them being understanding about me falling in love with the Fire Nation Prince, can you?" Katara asked him, biting sarcasm entering her voice. She knew how confused and hurt Zuko was that she wouldn't tell Sokka and Aang, but she needed him to understand. He had nothing to lose by telling people that he and Katara were an item, but she stood to lose everything.

"I think it's time _they_ learnt to differentiate between 'Fire Prince' and 'Zuko'." Zuko said harshly, making it clear that he was talking about Katara learning. "I can't help what my family or nation has done, and I can't change it. If you haven't noticed by now, Uncle and I are the good guys too."

Katara didn't know how to reply. She knew that from Zuko's perspective it must seem that she was ashamed of having fallen in love with him, but nothing could be further from the truth. If she knew that Aang and Sokka wouldn't reject her, then she'd proclaim it to anyone who'd listen.

"Just give me some more time." Katara pleaded, trying not to snatch her hand from under Zuko's heated palm. The warmth radiating onto her hand was becoming painful, but Zuko was oblivious. Katara tried to ignore it. "Let them get to know the real you. I know they'll love you as much as I do."

"But hopefully not in the same way." Zuko mused after awhile, and Katara knew that the argument was over for tonight. Zuko's palm had begun to cool, signalling that he was no longer angry.

"Hopefully not in the same way." Katara agreed, laughing. She leant sideways, resting her head on Zuko's shoulder.

"In hindsight, chasing you halfway across the world and trying to capture you wasn't the best plan if I want the Avatar and your brother to trust me." Zuko said, stroking Katara's hair gently.

"The realization comes a few months too late, but at least it came." Katara murmured sleepily, beginning to close her eyes. "I'll get around to telling them eventually, don't worry."

Zuko's shoulder stiffened uncomfortably, and Katara regretted the words the instant she said them. It made it sound as though telling people she loved Zuko was a chore that she didn't want to do. It seemed Zuko thought this too.

"You should get back to your sleeping bag." He said frostily, withdrawing his shoulder from under Katara's head. "Wouldn't want them to suspect anything."

He took his hand off Katara's and stood up, walking back onto the blanket and lying down without another word. Katara watched him go silently, holding back the things she wanted to say to him:

_I love you, I'm sorry, come back._

Her mouth had formed to say these words, but she closed it again with a sigh. Zuko had turned on his side, so as not to face her. Katara frowned at her own stupidity, and then stood up herself. Shaking the sand that had landed in her lap, she slowly and carefully made her way back to her sleeping spot in between Sokka and Aang. She lay down, but did not shut her eyes. Instead, she gazed up at the stars illuminating the night. The moon, as ever, was beautiful and shone down on them all, as if showering the group with her blessing.

Katara knew that the next morning Zuko would probably avoid her, or make up excuses not to talk to her. He was so childish when he wanted to be, particularly after a fight.

_I'm such an idiot…_Katara thought sadly, as the gentle night breeze enticed the sand around the group sleeping on the blanket. Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore the thoughts floating around inside her head and instead focused on memories of less complicated times. Every memory she tried to conjure up eventually led back to the Fire Nation, which obviously forced her to think of Zuko.

_I'll talk to Iroh about what I should do, _Katara decided after a few minutes. _He's wise. He'll tell me what to do. Of course, he's also biased seeing as Zuko is his nephew…so maybe he'll just take Zuko's side. Unless…_

And so the inner argument carried on through the night. When, through underneath her eyelids hours later, Katara could feel the sun rising, she got up with everyone else, pretending that she hadn't spent the entire night thinking about Zuko.

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_**A/N:**_

_**Hey guys! I know this chapter isn't very long, but for some reason I don't like making the first chapter of anything very lengthy. Don't worry, the next chapter will be longer and up shortly.**_

_**By now, I'm assuming you've all seen the Avatar Season Three trailer (if not, the link is on my profile, go check it out now!) and the Mai/Zuko kiss. Because of this, lots of people have said that Zutara is dead. Quoting from someone from the forums I go on, and to a lesser extent Dumbledore from Harry Potter:**_

_Zutara is only dead when no one is left to ship it. As long as people still ship Zutara, it is alive, no matter what._

_**I've got to say I agree with this. Oh, and also how awesome does Season Three look:D**_

_**Anyway, enough of my meaningless writing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will enjoy the sequel as much as you (hopefully) enjoyed the original. I'll be updating faster than I did with "The Journey" because it's the summer holidays and I have much more time to focus on the fanfic. Thanks very much to everyone who reviewed "The Journey" and please continue reviewing :D**_

_**- Momo**_


	2. Chasing Wild Geese

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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"Sugar Queen!" Toph's voice filled the air, but Katara ignored it. She was sat cross-legged on the edge of the blanket that served as the group's bed. As was her new distraction, she played with the sand beneath her, allowing it to trickle through her fingers. If only all her problems could fall away so easily…

"Sugar Queen!" Toph repeated loudly, but again Katara ignored her. It probably wasn't important. After the lack of sleep last night, Katara just wanted to be left alone. Zuko hadn't spoken to her at all, hadn't even looked at her as far as she knew. When Sokka grudgingly reminded Zuko that he and Katara should go and look for some signs of life, Zuko quickly informed him that Iroh was going with him today, instead of Katara. Katara had looked up, crestfallen, when she had heard these words. Obviously, Zuko hadn't discussed this with her; he just didn't want to be around her. When Katara had tried to talk to Zuko about it, he walked away with cold, hard eyes. That had been a couple of hours ago, and Zuko and Iroh weren't back yet.

_Well if Zuko wants to be childish, that's his problem, _Katara determined, weaving imaginary wavy patterns in the sand with her fingers. _Why should I be the one to make amends? _

"Oh for Gods' sake…" Toph muttered, walking up to where she could feel Katara's faint vibrations emanating and leaning down right next to her where she guessed her ear was. "Katara!" She hollered, making Katara flinch and fall sideways. Wincing and rubbing her ear, Katara stood up and glared down at Toph, aware that the remainder of the group were staring at the two girls.

"What, Toph?" Katara asked irritably. "What is it?"

"Seeing as Scarface and Iroh have gone to look for that wild goose they're chasing, don't you think we should go and look for some firewood?" Toph asked, as though this thought should have already occurred to Katara.

"Toph." Katara said, as patiently as she could. At first, the heat was nice on Katara's bare feet. After a couple of minutes however, the small grains had begun to burn her feet and seep in between her toes uncomfortably. "We're in the middle of the desert. Apart from other people in our group, we haven't seen a single living person in days, much less a tree. It's just too hot out here; even the sand seems to be losing the will to live."

"Sand doesn't have a will to live." Sokka pointed out from Appa's back. What he was doing there, no one knew, but it kept him occupied to think he was helping everyone.

_Neither will you in a moment, _Katara thought darkly, but didn't voice her threat. The heat of the desert was starting to get to her, and soon she would snap completely.

"But you never know." Toph said, raising her eyebrows. "Besides, it'll give us a chance to talk while we look for some wood."

Talking with Toph was about as unappealing to Katara as remaining in the desert for the rest of her life, but at least going on a fruitless search for wood would stretch her legs and get out of the camp.

"Fine." Katara sighed. "Let's go look for some trees."

As Toph stood over her, Katara sat back down, reached for her shoes and fastened them. The soles of her shoes protected her feet from the burning sand, but sometimes sand crept into them anyway. Standing back up, Katara began to walk. Where, she didn't know, but Toph followed at any rate.

"We'll be back soon." Katara called over her shoulder. Even in her tired, emotional state, she didn't want the others to worry. There were a couple of calls back, but Katara didn't listen.

She and Toph plodded along in silence through the sand. Their feet sank into the golden grains with every step they took, but neither took much notice; they had been in the desert long enough not to care. Katara made sure to walk in a straight line so that they wouldn't have difficulty finding their way back to camp. As the minutes wore on in silence, the unmerciful sun beat down with ferocious heat, heat which would only get worse as the day progressed. Soon enough, Katara felt sand grains tickling the soles of her feet. She ignored this for as long as she could, but was about to stop to take off her shoes when Toph spoke suddenly.

"So, what's up?" She asked, still facing forward.

"The stupid sand's got into my shoes again and I-"

"No," Toph interrupted, sounding both irritated and amused, "I mean what's up with you and Scarface?"

_Oh, _Katara thought. The question was so unexpected that she didn't know how to reply. Although Toph knew about Katara and Zuko's relationship, she had never said anything about it. Truthfully, Katara had doubted that Toph even cared.

"I heard you two last night." Toph said, an apologetic note in her tone. "And the way he blanked you this morning was pretty harsh."

_Thanks, _Katara thought icily. She knew that tact wasn't Toph's way, but a little bit of consideration would have been nice.

"Yeah." Katara said, unsure of what else to say. She didn't want to burden Toph with her relationship problems, and the thought of having a girly chat with Toph about boys seemed strange. "It was." They continued walking in uncomfortable silence.

"It's not the first time you've had that argument, is it?" Toph asked quietly a few moments later. She had stopped walking and now searched Katara with sightless eyes.

"Do we really talk that loud?" Katara asked, stopping also. She was trying to make the situation lighter by joking, but Toph didn't seem to pick up on this.

"No - but you might want to be a little subtler when you kiss."

Katara felt her eyes widen and her face flush instantly, and was glad that Toph was unable to see how embarrassed she was. _What the hell am I supposed to say that that? _Katara thought, mortified. _Better say something otherwise she'll guess how embarrassed I am…_

"Yeah, thanks." Katara said, by way of a witty comeback. "So you heard the argument?" She continued quickly, hoping to get onto the main topic.

"Yep, and I can see both sides of it." Toph said, then paused. "At least, I can _hear_ both sides of it."

Katara smiled, but made no sound. This prompted Toph to continue.

"But I don't think you should tell Snoozles or Twinkletoes about you two just yet."

Katara grinned in triumph.

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"What do you mean I should wait?" Zuko scowled in defeat. He had been in the desert with his uncle for what seemed like ages, looking for something they both knew they weren't going to find. Originally, Zuko had only told his uncle about his problem with Katara to shut him up about what ingredients for tea one could find in the desert, but after awhile Zuko realized that it had been a good thing to tell his uncle. After all, Iroh was wise…and would certainly take Zuko's side. Or so Zuko had thought.

"I mean that you should wait." Iroh shrugged. "There is no double-meaning or hidden proverb this time."

Zuko kicked the sand beneath him angrily. It scattered back to the ground haphazardly, but was ignored by the angry Fire Prince who had continued walking across the desert. The heat was making him more irritable than normal. Being a Firebender, he and his uncle could deal with heat better than others, but after awhile it got too much for even Zuko. However, no matter how hot the temperature was right now, it was nothing compared to Zuko's boiling temper.

"If she doesn't want her idiot brother and the Avatar to know about us then she obviously thinks I'm not good enough for her!" Zuko spat, narrowing his eyes at a small mound of sand at his feet.

"Nephew, have you considered that - for once - this may _not_ be about you?" Iroh suggested wearily. He had no desire to deal with angry teenage Firebenders; he was tired from walking and was about to suggest they head back when Zuko had broached the topic of Katara. Iroh was pleased that Zuko had decided to confide in him about his love life, but soon became less than ecstatic when he realized Zuko was only after someone to take his side. "Sokka and Aang are the two most important people in Miss Katara's life: they are her family. They were also the ones that you repeatedly tried to harm less than a year ago."

"Why do people keep fixating on that?" Zuko shouted, frustration now mixing with anger.

"And now you and Katara have grown incredibly close." Iroh continued, ignoring Zuko's question. "She may feel that Sokka or Aang would make her choose between them and you, and that is a choice she does not want to make."

"But if they cared for her as much as she cares for them then they'd want her to be happy!" Zuko exploded, repeating the point he had made last night to Katara.

"Remember that Sokka and Aang were not there in the dungeons of Ba Sing Se. In their eyes you are probably the same man who has tried to capture the Avatar and join his sister in order to conquer the Earth Kingdom." Iroh pressed. He was determined to make Zuko see sense before they returned to the others. Iroh had noticed his nephew's dismissal of Katara this morning, and he had seen the hurt shining in Katara's eyes as she saw it too. She didn't deserve to be treated like that, and Iroh was ashamed that Zuko would be so cold to a woman he cared for.

"How much more do I need to do to prove that I've changed?" Zuko asked, a small note of vulnerability and confusedness entering his harsh tone. "Back in the cavern I risked my life for them!"

_And back comes the anger, _Iroh thought in exasperation. Zuko wasn't going to see sense anytime soon, so there was little point in trying. At least Iroh had done his best.

"Let's just go back to the others." Iroh suggested, turning around and beginning to walk. "But if I'm right and Katara does fear rejection from her brother and the Avatar, then it would be wise to give her some more time if you do not want her to feel trapped."

Zuko nodded reluctantly, and walked alongside his uncle. Zuko knew only too well the sting of rejection, and didn't want anyone he cared for to face it as well. Which wasn't to say he was going to let up anytime soon; he was still determined to somehow make Katara see that she should tell everyone about their relationship.

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_Glad someone sees it my way, _Katara thought happily. _It just proves that I'm not being selfish…I have to remember to tell Zuko this later. That is, if he decides he wants to listen._

"But Katara," Toph continued, "you have to see it from Zuko's perspective."

"I'm having trouble doing that right now." Katara said mutinously, remembering Zuko's cold dismissal of her earlier. "Care to give me some insight?"

"Why don't I just give you both a manual while I'm at it?" Toph asked, rolling her blind eyes.

_Now you mention it, that'd be really helpful, _Katara thought, but didn't dare say this out loud. Toph had decided to carry on talking anyway.

"He obviously thinks that you don't care about him enough to tell anyone that you're…whatever it is that you're doing. Can't really call it dating because you having technically been on a date yet, but I'm not sure if that-"

"Toph?" Katara interrupted. "Back on-topic please?"

"Sorry." Toph smiled sheepishly. "But it's true. Maybe he feels that you don't think he's important enough to go public with him. It's got to be a major dent in his pride, and we all know how much Scarface values his pride."

"So he's mad because I'm damaging his pride?" Katara asked sceptically. If this was true, then it was ridiculous.

"He's hurt because he loves you, and he doesn't think that you feel the same." Toph corrected, in the gentlest voice that Katara had ever heard her use.

_Of course I feel the same! _Katara wanted to shout. _How could he think for even a second that I don't?_

"We should be getting back; it's painfully obvious even to me that we're not going to find anything apart from sand. Maybe a rock or two if we're lucky." Toph mused, turning around in a semi-circle and beginning to walk. "I _am_ going the right way, right?" She called back to Katara after a few seconds.

"Yeah." Katara called back distractedly, walking to catch up to her blind friend, and then walking alongside her.

"Listen, I'm not saying that you should take out an advertisement on Appa's side, but cut Princey a little slack." Toph said after a moment. Katara murmured a small "okay" then fell silent.

It was a long, slightly awkward walk back to the camp.

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When Katara and Toph reached the camp, Zuko and Iroh still weren't there.

"We're back." Katara called to no one in particular. She saw that Aang was sitting on Appa's back, poring over the pieces of parchment that Sokka "acquired" from Wan Shi Tong's spirit library. He was so involved with reading that Aang made no sign of recognition except for a vague wave in Katara and Toph's direction. The Earth King appeared to be sunbathing on the sand, and also lifted his arm lazily in greeting.

"You find anything?" Sokka's muffled voice asked. Katara raised her eyebrows and scanned the area, soon finding him lying face down on the blanket they all slept on.

"Toph, go see what Sokka's doing please." Katara asked in exasperation to the Earthbender, who obliged. Katara meanwhile ran up Appa's tail and onto his back, sitting herself down besides Aang.

"I'm resting!" She heard Sokka protest in the background.

"Found anything?" She asked, ignoring her brother and peering at the parchment herself. It was yellow and withered with age, but hopefully still useful.

"Well there's a mysterious blob of ink on the upper right hand side of this piece." Aang said, pointing out the offending blob. When Katara laughed, Aang turned to her, grinning himself. "But if you're asking if I found anything interesting or that could help us, the answer is definitely no." He said, placing the pieces of parchment carefully back into Sokka's bag.

"It's good to see you smile again." Katara said softly. Aang hadn't been himself since they had met up with him again during their escape from Ba Sing Se and Azula. Katara assumed that it was the trauma of getting shot in the back by lightning, dying, then being brought back to life again that was making him cranky. Any one of those things would be traumatic enough, but Aang had had to face all three of them.

"I know I haven't been myself." Aang agreed quietly. "But I'm just trying to get back to normal. Iroh's going to start teaching me Firebending as soon as we find a more stable area."

Katara nodded, and patted Aang's shoulder in a comforting and motherly way.

"I know you've gone through a lot, but don't forget that you're not alone. You've got all of us, even Zuko and Iroh. I know them joining us must have been a shock to you, but it'll be for the best, just wait and see."

Aang nodded and took a deep breath, looking ready to say something. At that moment however, Zuko and Iroh walked into the camp empty-handed. No one had really been expecting them to find anything, but it was still quite disheartening to see them with nothing. As Iroh sat down on the sand a few metres away from everyone else, Toph joined him.

Zuko meanwhile walked hesitantly up to Appa and addressed Katara, all the time looking at his feet.

"Katara, can I talk to you?"

Katara glanced at Aang, who had averted his eyes, a hint of a frown on his brow. Taking this as a sign that their conversation was over, Katara turned back to Zuko and nodded. Standing up on Appa, she moved to the side slightly and jumped, landing on her feet in the sand. She still had her shoes on, so Katara wasn't bothered much by the grains of sand washing over her feet, and merely shook them off. She turned to face Zuko, who gestured sideways to a less public patch of sand. Katara nodded in understanding, and they both walked the five second journey in incredibly tense silence.

"I shouldn't be pressuring you to tell people if you don't want to." Zuko said, the moment he was sure they were out of earshot of the others.

"It isn't that I don't want to." Katara sighed, unwilling to get caught in the same argumentative trap again. "But I know that's how it must seem to you." She paused and looked away briefly, before turning back to Zuko and looking him directly in the eyes. "Using possibly the most overused line ever: it isn't you, it's me."

"But still," Zuko argued, mentally agreeing that it was an overused line, "I know that you're not comfortable with telling people, for whatever reason, so I'm not going to push you."

After quickly checking that no one was watching, Zuko took one of Katara's hands in his own to show his sincerity. He loved the way that he never felt alone when he held Katara's hand, like he could face anything as long as she was with him. It made him want to protect her, and at the same time proudly display her to the world.

"Thank you." Katara murmured. Zuko's warm touch was soothing, and it almost made her forget why she wanted to keep their relationship a secret.

Almost.

"It isn't that I don't want to tell them, it's just that it's-"

"Complicated?" Zuko guessed, instead of an exasperated sigh, a teasing smile in place.

"It's the word of the week." Katara agreed, also smiling. "But things won't always be like this. Just let everyone get to know you better, and soon there'll no more sneaking around after they've all gone to sleep." She paused, as a thought struck her. "Which reminds me, we really need to be quieter."

She laughed at Zuko's confused expression and reluctantly released his hand as she walked back over to Appa.

"Girls are crazy…" Zuko muttered, shaking his head and walking back to the camp, sitting beside the sleeping Earth King.

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Toph sat down beside Iroh on a mound of sand. Iroh looked over at his young friend.

"How did it go?" He whispered conspiratorially, making sure that no one apart from Toph could hear.

"Good." Toph confirmed. "I'm pretty sure I made Sugar Queen see both sides of the argument. Yourself?"

"My nephew is stubborn." Iroh sighed. "However I managed to convince him that Miss Katara has reasons for not telling her friends."

Toph grinned, and stretched out on the warm sand. Iroh smiled as he watched Zuko and Katara talk hesitantly to one another. After a couple of minutes, Zuko held one of Katara's hands gently, and a few seconds later they smiled at one another. Iroh couldn't hear what the young couple were saying, but that didn't matter. For now, they were on good terms once more.

"What would they do without us?" Toph sighed, closing her eyes and basking in the sun's rays like a contented cat.

"What indeed." Iroh chuckled, watching Zuko trying to decipher whatever Katara had just said and failing miserably.

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_**A/N:**_

_**This chapter and the next were originally supposed to be one chapter, but after the seventh page of this chapter I figured I'd better stop writing :P Zuko and Katara seem to have made up, but for how long? Next chapter is where the story really starts, so don't miss it!**_

_**Thank you for the encouraging reviews, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D**_

_**Please review, and I'll see you all soon.**_

_**- Momo**_


	3. Getting To Know You

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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The next two days passed uneventfully. Everyone in the group was getting bored of the endless sandy view, and often speculated upon how near they were to civilization.

"If I don't get something decent to eat in the next week, I am going to kill myself." Sokka announced one day, whilst lying face-down on the blanket. His voice was muffled, but everyone ignored him anyway.

With summer coming closer and closer, the heat in the desert became almost unbearable. The animals in the group, Appa, Momo and Sokka, were becoming more restless as the hours drifted by, until even Aang ignored their plaintive cries and moans. The little water they managed to conserve was rapidly depleting, and within a week the meagre food would run out. No one could sleep at night, and the lucky few who could only managed a few hours at best. Although everyone was annoyed by this, no one was more so than Katara and Zuko, who had to find other ways of spending time alone together.

"Shall we play 'I Spy'?" Iroh asked enthusiastically one afternoon. The entire group had collapsed either on or around the blanket, and were not talking. Sokka was splayed out in a fashion resembling a star and had taken his shirt off in an attempt to cool down. This didn't leave much room for everyone else, so Zuko, Katara and the Earth King were lying around the edges of the blanket. Only Iroh was sat up eagerly, having taken his spot on a mound of sand he always made every time the grouped reached another part of the desert.

Katara and Toph both groaned loudly at Iroh's words. The rest of the group, excluding Iroh, glanced around at them.

"We've tried this before." Katara explained to anyone who wanted to listen. She had opened her eyes a crack, but now shut them again the glaring sunlight. "It didn't work then, and it won't work now."

"When did you play 'I Spy'?" Aang asked, in a voice that suggested confusion if he could be bothered putting any expression in.

"Ba Sing Se dungeons." Toph supplied monotonously. "I think we got as far as "door" and then had to give up."

Silence passed amongst the group once more for a few moments.

"But we have to do something to keep us entertained!" Iroh pleaded, sounding like a child.

"Why don't we try giving Sokka cactus juice again?" Katara suggested wearily. "That was pretty entertaining."

"For you maybe." Sokka snarled. "For me it was hell. Not knowing what was real and what wasn't…"

"I think it's obvious that your mushy, giant friend the Friendly Mushroom was just a part of your vivid imagination." Toph drawled, running her hand through the sand at the side of her.

"Actually there _was_ a cloud of dust that resembled a mushroom…" Katara admitted, turning onto her side and opening her eyes.

"Was it mushy, giant and friendly?" Zuko asked. Katara turned to him, glad that he was joining in their conversation.

"No, yes, and I'm sure it was pleasant once you got to know it." Katara answered, shielding her eyes from the sun.

The group laughed, and suddenly the mood increased tenfold. Katara positioned herself so that she was lying on her stomach and squinted at the rest of the group.

"Aang, Sokka, do you remember that town we visited that celebrated Avatar Day?" She asked, a note of amusement in her tone.

"Ugh, worst town ever." Sokka said in disgust. "I'm glad we didn't stay there - the food was awful."

"Yeah, and the stupid justice system, burning effigies of me and that I was nearly boiled in oil sucked too." Aang reminded Sokka. Both the boys propped themselves up on their elbows and rearranged themselves so they could see everyone else clearly.

"At least we got to go back to Kyoshi Island." Katara pointed out.

"Not much point, Suki wasn't there." Sokka grumbled, and underneath the gruffness there was masked pain in his voice.

"Koko was." Katara said to Aang, a smirk in her voice. "Your little fangirl's still there waiting for you."

"Why is it every place you guys go to you leave someone behind?" Toph complained. "Before I joined it seems you had people desperate for you to stay with them."

Sokka and Katara sighed in unison.

"Yue."

"Jet."

"Suki."

"Haru."

There was a slight pause, in which the siblings exchanged desolate glances. Then Katara slumped forward into the sand with a moan and Sokka put rested his elbows at his side, causing him to lay face down on the blanket.

"That's so depressing." Sokka's muffled voice commented bleakly and Katara nodded her head in agreement.

This proved to be the death of the conversation for the rest of the afternoon.

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"So, are Jet and Haru anyone I should be worried about?" Zuko asked quietly when he and Katara were gathering their limited supplies to place upon Appa. Night was quickly descending upon the group, and it was time to move onto another part of the desert. Most of the group were already on Appa's back, but he and Katara had stayed behind to check some last minute things. Toph and Iroh had also hung back, talking in low tones.

Before, Zuko's heart had leapt when Katara had said Jet's name, but he quickly consoled himself with the knowledge that there must be more than one Jet in the world. Besides, the Jet he had known was a maniac, Katara wouldn't have fallen for a guy like that. Katara's head shot up worriedly, and he saw her wary expression vanish as soon as she realized he was joking around.

"Only if Haru lives in the middle of the desert." Katara teased, picking up her empty, discarded water pouch and placing it back at her side.

"And Jet?" Zuko asked, waiting for Katara to finish adjusting her water pouch then walking back to Appa with her. Katara's joking smile vanished to be replaced with a more solemn look. Her beautiful sapphire eyes took on a haunted look.

"Not unless you can bring people back from the dead." She whispered, climbing up Appa's leg and sitting herself down on his soft fur.

Zuko closed his eyes momentarily and winced at his own tactlessness.

"Walked straight into that one, didn't you Scarface?" Toph muttered as she walked past.

"You could have warned me!" He hissed back furiously, as Toph accepted Sokka's hand in helping her up. When she didn't reply, Zuko rolled his eyes and hauled himself up, as soon as he had made sure his uncle was securely on the bison also.

He had barely sat down when Aang shouted "Yip yip!", those dreaded words that always told Zuko that he was about to risk his life. Even after almost a week, he still hadn't gotten over the sheer trepidation of flying on Appa. He had gotten better at hiding it however, so now Katara didn't tease him about it so much.

The wind whipped everyone's faces as they flew at high speed. The breeze would occasionally pick up some sand, throwing grains into whichever unlucky person's eyes and causing them to grumble discontentedly. This happened to Sokka no less than four times before he had the sense to turn the other way. No one really noticed Katara gazing out to the desert sadly. No one, that was, except for Zuko. He saw the distant pain in her eyes and desperately wanted to reach over and take her in his arms, to murmur reassurances that everything would be okay. But of course, her brother and the Avatar would never allow it.

_If they knew about us then this wouldn't be a problem, _Zuko thought through gritted teeth, adding to his already long list of reasons why he and Katara shouldn't keep their relationship a secret. But, list or no list, Katara didn't want to tell anyone, therefore it would be a secret. For now.

So it was with a frown that Zuko sat back and let Katara stare aimlessly out into the darkening sky, feeling bad but not being able to do anything about it. Occasional chatter passed amongst the group, but everyone was too tired or bored to start a proper conversation. Sokka would randomly declare from time to time that he was hungry, but after Toph told him that she would push him off Appa if he said this any longer, he soon shut up.

_Moron, _Zuko thought, rolling his eyes. _We're all hungry, just deal with it._ Every time Sokka said something idiotic (which seemed to happen at more regular intervals now), Zuko felt his respect for Katara growing even more. She had spent her entire life with this gormless boy, and yet she had kept her sanity. Zuko, on the other hand, was ready to Firebend Sokka's ass back to the South Pole, when Appa started to descend.

"We're landing?" Zuko asked involuntary, surprised.

"Well done." Sokka replied, using as much sarcasm in his voice as he could muster. To add insult, he applauded sarcastically, until Toph punched him in the arm. Scowling, Sokka rubbed his now painful arm and shot Zuko a dirty look.

_Why's that my fault? _Zuko wanted to ask indignantly, but instead said: "We've only been flying for a few minutes. If we want to get out of the desert sometime in the next five years, don't you think we should be flying for at least an hour at nights from now on?"

"Appa's tired." Aang replied shortly. "We're landing."

Although everyone in the group (besides Sokka) had managed to forgive Zuko, the Avatar was still cold towards him. Whenever Zuko asked him a direct question, the boy would answer with a hard note in his tone, otherwise he would completely ignore him. Although Zuko knew that the Avatar had every reason not to like him, they were travelling together. Respect may be asking too much, but tolerance would enough. Unfortunately, the boy hadn't been showing Zuko either respect or tolerance, although he seemed to like Iroh fine.

_And when the Avatar finds out about me and Katara, somehow I don't think his acceptance for me will increase…_Zuko thought. This didn't particularly bother him, although it probably should.

Katara tore her eyes away from the sand to turn to Aang and then Zuko. When her eyes met Zuko's she gave him an apologetic look and a miniature shrug, followed by a small smile. Zuko returned the smile only half-heartedly; he felt guilty for upsetting Katara in the first place.

Appa landed with a soft _thud_ on the sand. Everyone on the bison stood up and carried out their tasks, with the monotony that came with repetition.

"I'm sorry." Zuko murmured to Katara as soon as he was close enough. "I didn't mean to upset you."

The rest of the group was on the sand at that point, with Sokka collapsed onto the sand, Aang and the Earth King unpacking the supplies and Toph and Iroh muttering to each other. Zuko narrowed his eyes at the conspiratorial pair, wishing they would stop whispering about him and Katara. It was plainly obvious that they were after all.

"Katara, could you get the blanket?" Aang shouted up, after he realized that it had been left on Appa. He soon turned away and carried on unpacking.

Katara gathered the bundle of blanket in her arms and turned to Zuko, carrying on their conversation. "I know you didn't mean to upset me." She smiled. "How were you supposed to know?" She threw the blanket down onto the sand, causing the grains to fly up momentarily before settling back down. Aang called his thanks, which Katara acknowledged with a nod, not seeming to care that the Airbender was now unfurling the blanket and didn't see it.

"That's just it, I want to know." Zuko murmured, as he and Katara prepared to jump off Appa and onto the sand. Katara jumped first, landing gracefully and straightening up. She waited for Zuko to land before walking towards her brother. Hurrying after her, Zuko continued to talk in the same hushed tone.

"I want to know what upsets you, or what makes you happy. I don't like that I know so little about you."

"You know enough," Katara replied, barely moving her lips, "to know that I'll tell you in time."

"Of course, because that's your speciality." Zuko muttered to himself as Katara joined her brother in helping to unpack. "Putting off telling people things that they have a right to know."

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The hours that followed were much like the days that had already passed; filled with large silences and the occasional question or comment. Kuei, Sokka and Iroh had gone to sleep out of boredom, leaving Aang, Katara and Toph to speculate on what was going to happen next. The group still awake had not gathered on the blanket, but sat a little while away on the sand from their sleeping friends. Zuko did not join in this conversation, but watched the way the fire he had created and controlled illuminated her features, exaggerating the shadows but casting a warm glow on the other side of her face. Despite the shadows under her cerulean eyes and the way her body slumped slightly out of exhaustion, she was still the most beautiful woman that Zuko had ever seen. Her chocolate hair was beginning to unravel from its tight braid, leaving strands sticking out at the back of her neck, but then again no one was looking their best after a week in barren desert. The annoyance he had felt previously towards Katara was forgotten, as he wondered how he could ever be mad at her.

"I think that if we don't reach Siyu in the next two days, we should just get out of the desert, what do you think Scarface?" Toph said, breaking Zuko out of his thoughts. It was thoughtful of Toph to include him in their discussion, but Zuko would've much preferred sitting in silence and watching Katara. The Avatar and Katara had turned to him, Katara smiling expectantly and the Avatar nothing short of glowering at the Prince.

"I think she's right." Zuko replied, trying not to focus on the look the Airbender shot him, which was deepening with every word. "We can't afford to lose anymore time looking for something that may not be there."

"Thank you." Toph nodded, her blind eyes in the general direction of Zuko's voice. "He's right. Twinkletoes needs to learn Firebending as soon as he can, and it isn't going to happen if we're living like this."

"We're doing the best we can." Aang said, an edge to his voice.

"Considering the circumstances, yes." Katara cut in gently. "But it doesn't have to be like this. We'll find somewhere for you to learn when we're outside of the desert, but not here. Toph and I will keep up your Waterbending and Earthbending, so you'll be ready for battle."

Aang looked at her, and then slowly nodded. Zuko marvelled at how Katara talked to the Avatar in that soothing voice, and how he always calmed down when she talked to him. If Zuko didn't know that Katara's love for Aang was platonic, then he might've been jealous.

"We should get to bed Aang. I want to go over some Earthbending basics with you in the morning." Toph said suddenly, standing up. Aang seemed reluctant to leave Zuko and Katara alone together, given the suspicious narrow of his eyes in Zuko's direction.

_Sure, blame me, _Zuko thought, coming dangerously close to rolling his own eyes. However, he stayed silent and watched as Toph grew more impatient.

"Listen, in case it's escaped your notice, Twinkletoes, _I'm blind_. I would try and find the blanket by myself but I'd probably fall over someone."

Zuko tried very hard to hold back a smirk as Toph held out her hand in the Avatar's direction, expecting him to take it. When he reached out, Toph yanked his hand hard, so that the Airbender was jerked up. Zuko ended up smirking at the sand, averting his eyes so he wouldn't anger anyone.

"Night." Toph said, and it bewildered Zuko how much meaning and emphasis she could put into one simple word.

"I'm not tired yet, I'll follow you in a few minutes." Katara said, smiling up at Toph and Aang, who were still holding hands. Zuko made a non-committal noise, which the others seemed to accept.

"See you in the morning." Toph said, waving with her free hand. "Little help Twinkletoes."

Aang stood for one more moment, glancing from Katara to Zuko and back again, before moving forwards and guiding Toph back to the blanket. As Zuko and Katara watched, he quietly said something to her, and she sat down. Aang lay down next to her, and turned on his side so he wasn't facing Zuko or Katara.

"It was nice of her." Katara murmured softly, a small smile on her lips as her gaze lingered on the camp.

"What was?" Zuko asked, at the same volume. Katara turned to him, eyebrows raised.

"You don't think that Toph couldn't find her way back to camp? If we'd offered to guide her back, then she would've snapped at us. She only asked Aang to give us some time alone together."

Zuko paused before answering, frowning slightly. "I don't get Toph."

Katara laughed quietly. "Nobody gets Toph. At least, not entirely."

_Is that because she hasn't told you, or because you didn't ask? _Zuko wondered as he watched Katara intently. Although Toph and Katara got along well for the most part, when they argued it was severe and made the rest of the group, Zuko included, very uncomfortable.

"What?" Katara asked, squirming a little under Zuko's gaze. Realizing the intensity of his look, Zuko rearranged himself to a look of polite interest. Apparently, this wasn't the right thing to do either, as Katara gave him an odd look. "No, seriously, what?"

Zuko stood up quickly, and held out his hand for Katara to take. She did, without question, and was hauled to her feet. Her shoes lay abandoned in the sand as Zuko began to walk, gently pulling Katara with him.

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The cool sand didn't hurt Katara's feet as she walked with Zuko, but her mind would be too preoccupied to notice if the grains of sand had turned to burning pebbles.

_Where are we going? _She wondered, glancing at Zuko. He caught her eyes, and gave her a reassuring smile. She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off with a shake of his head. After walking for only a minute or two, Zuko stopped and sat down. Genuinely confused, Katara sat down beside him on the sand. The place they had stopped wasn't extraordinary by any means; it looked exactly like all the other places they had stopped in the past week. That was to say, sandy and boring.

Zuko lit a fire in the palm of his hand and set it gently down onto the sand. The weak fire sputtered but still burnt, giving out light.

"I wanted a place we could talk; somewhere we know no one would interrupt us." Zuko explained, without Katara prompting him.

"I don't want to get into another argument." Katara said immediately. She was worried that this was all Zuko wanted to talk about, and with things going well between them she didn't want anything to mess it up.

"Don't worry," Zuko laughed, "that conversation isn't scheduled for another two days."

This put Katara at ease a little, and she even managed a smile. She wanted nothing more than a place that the two of them could be with each other uninterrupted, and not have to pretend to be mere acquaintances. If Zuko wanted the same - and it looked as though he did - then she had nothing to worry about.

"There's so much that I don't know about you…" Zuko murmured, after pulling Katara closer towards him. She went willingly, resting her head on Zuko's shoulder in a position that was comforting for them both. When Zuko had finished talking, Katara lifted her head and turned to look at him. She reached up her hand to touch Zuko's scar very gently.

"There's a lot I don't know about you." She whispered.

"You know how I got my scar." He whispered back, confused both at why he was whispering, and why Katara was touching the burn on his face.

"I meant…I don't know anything about your life before you got your scar." She amended, not rushing her words because she didn't want to ruin the moment.

There was a long pause, in which Zuko did not meet Katara's eyes. Finally, he took the hand on his face and set it aside softly, holding onto it.

"There are some things that you don't want to know." He murmured, still averting his eyes.

Trying to get over the disappointment she felt that Zuko didn't want her to touch his scar, Katara drew her face closer to his.

"And there are some things I do." She whispered, kissing him softly before drawing away. "Don't shut me out."

"I don't want to shut you out." Zuko frowned, "It just isn't easy talking about my childhood."

"Growing up with Azula must've been hard." Katara sympathised, kissing him for a moment again.

"Hard? Try impossible. After my mother left…" Zuko trailed off, looking at the sand beneath him.

"We could try to find her if you wanted." Katara suggested quietly. "After Aang fights…after we win the war." She corrected herself quickly, almost talking about Aang killing Zuko's father.

"I think it'd be something I'd need to do on my own, but thank you." Zuko smiled.

"I just don't want you thinking you're alone in anything." Katara shrugged slightly.

"As long as I've got you, I'm never alone." Zuko replied, leaning in for another kiss.

Katara smiled as his lips met hers, loving the feeling she got every time she kissed Zuko. All the problems in the world vanished, all negative feelings disappeared, and all that mattered was that she didn't get separated from Zuko. Her eyes closed as she lost herself in the moment, her lips parted under his, allowing his hesitant tongue access to her mouth. Although this was a new experience, it felt right as their tongues met gently. Zuko's grip suddenly fastened around her waist securely, and he deepened the kiss. Having no problem with this, Katara responded enthusiastically and threw her arms around his neck. This threw Zuko momentarily, and he toppled to the ground, Katara falling on top of him. The kiss broken, Katara began to laugh and scooped sand up, sprinkling it into Zuko's hair with one hand, and keeping his arms to his side with the other.

"You think that's funny?" Zuko asked, eyebrows raised, wicked smile in place.

"Yeah." Katara smiled back. "You have a problem with that?"

Suddenly Zuko freed his arms and pushed them hard, causing Katara to fall flat on her back onto the sand. He knelt down, placing his legs either side of her waist and pinning her arms to her side with his hands.

"So what if I do?" He asked, smirking as Katara struggled playfully.

"When did you get so strong?" She pouted cutely, giving up trying to free herself. Zuko laughed, both at her comment and her facial expression.

"This is nothing; you should see what happens when someone threatens me." He paused, no longer laughing. "Or someone I love."

He let go of Katara's arms and moved back, so that she could sit up but not move her legs.

"You know that I'll never let anything happen to you, don't you?" He asked seriously. Katara smiled and murmured "I know", before reaching one of her newly-freed hand out to Zuko's face, and caressing his scar very gently. Zuko tilted his head into her loving touch and gave a small smile. She opened her mouth, evidently about to say something important, only to close it again when they heard:

"Hello?"

"Son of a bitch." Zuko muttered angrily, frustrated that someone would interrupt them even out here. He stood up entirely, pulling Katara up with him. They both swiftly swept sand off themselves and tried to look innocent, even though neither had recognized the voice that had spoken. A very faint light shone in the distance, evidently either a Firebender's flame or a lantern.

"Stay back." Zuko cautioned Katara, scooping up the dying flame on the sand and giving it new life.

"I can look after myself." Katara told him, an annoyed note in her voice. Zuko turned to her sceptically.

"Do you have your water with you?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well, no, but-"

"Then you're staying back." He told her, in a tone that he knew must be infuriating. Katara narrowed her eyes, but nodded and kept a pace behind Zuko as he crept carefully nearer to the source of the voice.

"Hello?" Shouted the voice again, louder this time. Katara could now tell that it was male, but realized Zuko had guessed that from the first time the stranger had yelled, given his "son of a bitch" comment. "Travellers?"

"That's right, Akio, shout louder. For all we know Princess Azula and her army could be out here. Unless fires have found some miraculous way of lighting themselves." Came the extremely sarcastic voice of a young woman.

"Why would Princess Azula and the Dai Li be out in the desert, Jia?" Asked the male, who was apparently named Akio. "It doesn't take a Firebender to light a fire."

Katara and Zuko exchanged glances, both unsure whether they should approach these strangers.

"Besides, whoever it is might be in trouble. We can't just leave them here." The male continued.

After a nod from Zuko, he and Katara walked forward more swiftly into the darkness, following the now arguing voices.

"The fire's coming closer towards us!" The male voice whispered excitedly. "So unless fire has not only taught itself to self-sustain, but to also fly, then there's a good chance it belongs to a traveller." He paused. "Hello?"

"Who's there?" Zuko called, expanding the flames in his hand suspiciously. Two dark figures had come into sight, neither of their faces visible in the dim light. Zuko suddenly breathed deeply, and split the fire in eight different ways. The eight fragments of embers hung in the air momentarily, until Zuko positioned his fingers much like Azula did when she directed lightning, and pointed in different directions. The fire swiftly followed, and was soon embedded into sand around the group. Zuko lifted his hands suddenly, and the fire rose with them. The light had improved greatly, and it was now light enough to see that the two strangers had dark, heavy black cloaks on with the hoods up.

"We are from the town of Siyu." The female said, neither she nor her brother seeming bothered by the presence of a Firebender in their midst. "I am Jia, and this is my twin brother, Akio."

Zuko's eyes remained narrowed in suspicion, but Katara inclined her head politely as the strangers were introduced. Akio took down his hood, and then smiled warmly at her, something which reduced Zuko's eyes to even thinner slits.

"You must be Prince Zuko and Katara, yes?" Jia continued evenly. Katara noticed for the first time how silky and smooth her voice was. This girl clearly had no confidence problems, and Katara found herself wondering what Jia looked like beneath the hood that was still up. The insane notion of jealously flitted through her mind, before being pushed aside by the confusion of how these strangers knew her and Zuko's names.

"You don't have to answer that question," Akio said warmly, smiling. "It's kind of…obvious." He hesitated, glancing quickly at Zuko's scar. Katara could feel the heat around her rising, and the small flames around them all grew with Zuko's anger.

"How do you know who we are, or where to find us?" She asked quickly, before Zuko could say or do anything rash.

"All will be explained later." Jia said, her voice now friendly and welcoming. "Where is the rest of your group?"

Katara did not answer, and neither did Zuko. Although these strangers had not outright attacked (_yet_, Katara reminded herself) there was no reason to trust them. Jia realized this, and took down her hood. The light was too dim to make out her features properly, but Katara could tell that this girl was not plain by any means.

"I know that it must be difficult to trust strangers after your ordeals, but please listen to me. We have an aunt, who works in the kitchens of the palace of Ba Sing Se. She has sent letters confirming Princess Azula's takeover of the Earth Kingdom. A few days ago she sent news of the Avatar and his friends, how they daringly escaped the clutches of the evil Fire Nation and the corrupt Dai Li." Her voice was filled with wonder and awe, and Katara couldn't help think that she was being slightly dramatic with her choice of words. "Our village knew that - if we came across the group - we must help in any way we could. The desert is cruel and unrelenting in heat, especially this time of year, and I'm sure you could all do with the rest and food."

There was a short silence, while Zuko and Katara digested this information. The breeze blew gently around them, lifting the sand above their feet briefly, before letting it fall back to earth.

"Basically, you're tired - we have beds. You're hungry - we have food. You're fighting in a war - our town is a large manufacturer of weapons to Ba Sing Se." Akio said, breaking the quiet. He grinned, showing all of his teeth. "Sound good?"

_Sounds great, but can we trust you? _Katara thought, still eyeing the newcomers warily. She glanced at Zuko, to see what he thought of the situation.

"We have master benders of the four elements back at the base. If you try anything stupid it'll be the last thing you do on this earth. Do you understand?" He asked, his voice harsh and non-compromising.

"We understand." Jia and Akio murmured, in eerie unison. Then Jia flashed a dazzling smile at Zuko. "You're a hero in our village…the way you stood up to Azula was amazing."

"Yeah but the way he sided with her before that wasn't too great." Katara said coldly before she could stop herself. The other three turned to stare at her, with Zuko's golden eyes shining with confusion and ill-masked hurt. "But that's in the past!" She continued brightly, trying to move the conversation along. "Anyway, the camp's back this way." She turned to walk back in the direction they had came, Zuko turning also after he had extinguished the flames around them. Jia and Akio hung back for a second, removing their cloaks which they only had on presumably for camouflage against enemies or wild animals.

"I'm so sorry." Katara said the moment they had turned away. "I don't know why I said that."

"I don't know why either." Zuko said, a bitter edge to his voice. He sighed, and looked at Katara as they carried on walking. "I thought we were past all that?"

"We are." Katara assured him, with as much sincerity as she could summon. "I'm just tired and hungry. You managed to take me away from that before," She paused, sharing a sly glance with Zuko before continuing, "but now it's come back full force."

Jia and Akio caught up to them, Jia walking next to Zuko, Akio strolling alongside Katara.

"So, how long have you two been a couple?" Jia asked conversationally. Zuko and Katara deliberated only for a moment before replying:

"We're not-"

"We're just friends-"

"We've never-"

Jia and Akio shared amused looks, as the couple in the middle continued to form half-sentences or the odd word.

"So, why were you out here alone together?" Akio asked, grinning wickedly.

"I couldn't sleep and-"

"We were looking for food-"

"Nothing happened-"

The twins burst out laughing as the couple stuttered and stammered their way through an explanation.

"We won't tell anyone." Jia promised, still smiling widely. Akio nodded in agreement, his eyes alight with amusement.

"But you should know that rumours are flying around the palace." Jia said, her voice semi-serious now. "Our aunt told us her suspicions, but we didn't think it was true." She paused, and grinned again. "At least, not until that performance."

The four walked along in contemplative silence in the sand, none of them knowing quite what to say now. After only half a minute of fast-paced walking, they reached the camp, where the shapes of Zuko and Katara's companions lay on the blanket, moving only to breathe.

"Guys!" Katara shouted after a moment, not really wanting to wake her sleeping friends up in this way, but not having a choice. "Wake up!"

There were a few movements on the blanket, but no one got up. Toph opened her eyes blearily, mumbled something about "a few more minutes" before rolling over again.

"Not a few more minutes, now!" Katara shouted, smiling at how much of a mother she sounded. She looked at Zuko, who shared the same smile.

"Do you want me to set the blanket on fire?" He asked loudly, for their sleeping companions' benefit. That got some movement. Toph sat up, rubbing her blind eyes in annoyance. Aang stretched and stood up, reaching for his staff as soon as he saw that Zuko and Katara had brought company.

"Relax, Aang. They're not a threat." Katara soothed, but Aang still regarded the newcomers warily. By this time, Iroh and Kuei had stirred, and stood themselves up. Sand poured onto the blanket where they had been lying, and dangerously close to the still sleeping Sokka's mouth.

"Do you have any spare water on you?" Katara asked the twins, smiling politely. Akio nodded, and produced a small water pouch, not unlike the one Katara carried. Akio unscrewed the pouch lid, and Katara bent the water from it, relishing the feel of liquid between her fingers again.

"Thanks." She smiled to Akio, before turning around. "Sokka, are you getting up?" She called loudly. Sokka murmured "no" and curled himself into a tight ball. Katara rolled her eyes, having a feeling that she wasn't the only one, and turned to everyone else still on the blanket. "I'd move if I were you." She advised. The others heeded her warning quickly, and Zuko smirked, knowing what was coming.

A look of concentration passed over Katara's face as she focused the water into a ball, and sent it slowly in front of her until it positioned directly over her brother's head.

"Last chance." She called, in a sing-song voice. Sokka frowned, his eyes remaining shut.

"I've told you, I'm not-"

Katara drew her hands back, and allowed gravity to take effect. The water fell rapidly, splattering on her brother's head. The rest of the group laughed as Sokka's eyes flew open, and he sat up, dripping wet. He raised an eyebrow to show how unimpressed he was with the situation, causing the group to laugh harder.

"She warned you." Toph smirked. She had obviously been unable to see what had just happened, but the sound of the splash of water as it fell onto Sokka's head had been very satisfying.

"Maybe you should just get up in future." Iroh smiled, before turning to the newcomers amongst the group. "And who are you?"

"Uncle, these are villagers from Siyu." Zuko said. "Turns out you didn't make the place up after all."

"I'm insulted you thought that, nephew." Iroh said, smiling good-naturedly. His gaze flicked from the twins, to Zuko. "I mean no offence to our new friends, but are you sure they are who they say they are?"

"We're not sure," Katara replied quickly, "but they seem genuine."

Iroh considered this, before turning to the twins and bowing. "Forgive me." He smiled. "But in these times it is difficult to accept new allies. I am Iroh."

The twins returned Iroh's bow, Akio's face shining with excitement. "I know who you are, Sir. General Iroh, Dragon of the West."

"Retired on both parts, but it is nice to know that my reputation precedes me." He laughed, before stepping aside for other introductions to be made. The light here was even worse than where Zuko and Katara had first encountered the twins, so there was still no way to determine what the newcomers looked like. Both Jia and Akio proclaimed themselves "honored" to meet the Avatar, bowing deeply in greeting. They showed appropriate amounts of respect towards the rest of the group, the Earth King in particular.

"But, Your Majesty, where is your famous bear?" Jia asked, after being introduced. Kuei sighed heavily.

"Bosco had to be left behind when we rescued our friends from Ba Sing Se." He said, with great sadness in his voice. "I hope to see him again, but I have come to terms with our parting."

Aang, Sokka, Iroh, Katara, Zuko and Toph breathed silent sighs of relief. Kuei had originally been distraught at the loss of his treasured bear, and it had taken him days to get over it. Katara had eventually told Kuei that they would go back for the bear as soon as it was safe, but until then Bosco could fend for himself. Whether this was true or not, it comforted to Earth King.

"I'm terribly sorry." Jia said, her voice sickly sweet with sympathy. At least, that's how it sounded to Katara. Jia turned to the group at large. "I think we should get back to Siyu."

There was a murmur of assent at this comment, and groups of people began to drift towards the blanket and the supplies, packing them up as they always did.

"It'd be faster to fly on Appa." Aang explained to the twins, who regarded the large beats apprehensively. "More cramped maybe, but definitely faster."

"We trust the Avatar implicitly." Akio smiled, before wandering over to Katara, who stood with Toph. "Hey." He smiled in greeting.

"Hey." Katara replied, smiling back. "Are you okay with flying on Appa? He's a little daunting at first, but you get used to him."

"Do I have a choice?" Akio asked jokingly, glancing back to Appa.

"Well, no." Katara admitted. "But don't worry, I'll hold your hand if you get too scared."

She had only meant this in jest, and was quite alarmed when Akio moved closer to her and smiled again. "Guess I'll have to be scared then." He said softly. Katara stood there speechless, until Akio walked away to talk his reluctant sister into getting on the bison.

"Does he know you're with Scarface?" Toph murmured quietly, when she was sure that Akio's faint footsteps had faded.

"Yes." Katara replied. "He was just being friendly."

"I worry about your interpretation of the word 'friendly' " Toph frowned. Katara sighed heavily and watched as Jia ignored her brother and started talking to Zuko. There was a lot of hair swishing going on, and Jia was laughing a little too loudly at something Zuko had just said.

"I'm worried about something else." Katara admitted, not taking her eyes off Jia and Zuko.

Toph seemed to sense what Katara was talking about and nodded. "Is she pretty?" She asked, head turned to Katara so the others wouldn't see them both staring at Jia.

Katara didn't have to ask who Toph meant. She continued to watch Jia, but in the light still couldn't see her facial features. All she could see was Jia had long dark hair which she wore loose. Zuko was smiling politely at something Jia had said, before helping her up onto Appa. Katara sighed and turned back to Toph, who was waiting for a reply.

"Gods, I hope not." Katara muttered.

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_**A/N:**_

_**Sorry it took me longer than usual to update, I hope the length of this chapter made up for it. It's longer than any I've ever done, so I'm quite proud, lol. I know Akio is a Japanese name, but I thought it suited him better than any Chinese name I could find. His name translates as "beloved/loving child", whereas Jia's means "beautiful". It might be useful to remember that…**_

_**By the way, it was more or less confirmed in an interview with the creators that Jet is dead, hence the "bring people back from the dead" quote. I think Katara was a little bitchy in this chapter…I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing that I enjoyed writing her bitchily :P**_

_**The kiss scene was awkward to write, mainly because I haven't really written one before. I would say I hope you liked it, but that may seem a little weird, so I'll settle for "I hope it was appropriate", lol.**_

_**I'm going away next Wednesday, but I'm going to try my hardest to get another chapter out by that time. However, if I can't then it's for that reason. Thank you so much for your reviews, they motivate me so much to keep writing (:**_

_**I didn't have time to read through this chapter properly, so please notify me if there are any spelling/grammar mistakes. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review,**_

_**- Momo **_


	4. Change In The Wind

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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"Yip yip!" Aang called out. The sky bison groaned loudly and took off from the sand with some difficulty. It was harder for Appa to ascend to the skies from an uneven surface such as sand, and it took longer than usual to set off. "Don't worry, buddy." Aang murmured comfortingly from his spot on the bison's head. "We've only got a short way to go, and then you can have all the rest you want." He turned to the boy sat next to him, Akio. "Tell me the directions and I'll guide him. I'd let you guide him yourself, but he's twitchy around strangers now."

Aang didn't go into details with Akio on exactly why Appa distrusted newcomers, but he felt a pang of pain when he remembered those times where Appa had gone missing. _Never again, _he had vowed. He intended to keep that promise, no matter what.

"No problem." Akio said with ease. "It's not far, we could've walked there."

"Good luck getting Sokka to carry his things just after he's woken up." Aang smiled. _Good luck getting Sokka to do anything just after he's woken up, _he added silently.

"My father runs the town's inn; you can all stay there for as long as you need. Fly a little to the left here." Akio said, pointing in the direction.

"How big is Siyu? Iroh gave us the impression it was only a small town." Aang asked uneasily, obliging to Akio's wish to change direction slightly.

"The last time General Iroh saw Siyu, it _was_ only a small town." Akio laughed. "He'll soon see the difference."

There was a short silence between the two, and the chatter of the others on Appa's back hung in the air. Momo was gingerly treading towards Jia, who laughed and encouraged the lemur to sit on her knee.

"So is Katara seeing anyone?" Akio asked casually. The question was so unexpected that Aang raised his eyebrows in surprise. He glanced behind them to where Katara was sitting, laughing as Momo lay himself down under Jia's vast cloak, much to her astonishment.

"No." Aang replied with a sigh, turning back to face the boy next to him. He didn't think that anyone could know how much he wished the answer to that question was "Yes. Me."

"Does she like anyone that you know of?" Akio asked again, with the same nonchalance that suggested he didn't really care and was only making conversation.

"I don't think so." Aang answered, again wishing the answer to that question was "yes". He paused, and glanced at Akio, trying to even his tone for his next words. "Are you interested in her or something?"

"I was just wondering. You travel together, feelings develop, I can guess how that can be." Akio shrugged. "Keep flying for a few minutes and we're there."

Aang didn't answer Akio's words. He was more than aware that Akio did not answer his question, just skirted around it.

Little did he know that Akio was inwardly marvelling at the Avatar's ignorance. _He really has no idea about the Fire Prince and Katara…what is he, stupid?_

"How will your village react to having Firebenders staying with you?" Aang asked, coming up with a topic change.

"I doubt they'll mind much, seeing as it's two Firebenders who betrayed their country to fight with the Avatar." Akio said, an impressed note in his voice.

_Everyone seems to gloss over the fact that one of the Firebenders betrayed us, before turning back again, _Aang thought, resisting rolling his eyes. He worried sometimes that Zuko would side with Azula again one day, and that day they'd all be in trouble. However, Toph, Iroh and Katara especially seemed to trust him, and he was not about to question their judgement. But he knew that Sokka shared these suspicions, so that comforted him in knowing it wasn't just him worried.

"Yeah, well." Aang grumbled, before focusing on a spot of dirt on Appa's head. "You forget who's the reason Azula came to power in the Earth Kingdom in the first place."

"Our aunt, the one who told us about you, didn't really mention anything before your escape." Akio pointed out. "But I did wonder how Azula managed it."

Akio's voice suggested that he wanted to know, but Aang hesitated. Telling Akio this might turn him against Zuko, something which wasn't really fair. On the other hand, Siyu needed to know what kind of people they were accepting into their town. It wasn't Aang's fault that Zuko had done some less than trustworthy things in the past.

"Zuko is the reason Azula conquered Ba Sing Se." Aang said, after only half a minute of silent deliberation. "At least, he played a big part in it."

Akio's eyes widened in surprise and his raised eyebrows gestured for Aang to continue. He knew that Zuko had something to do with the takeover of the Earth Kingdom, because of Katara's comment just an hour ago: "_Yeah but the way he sided with her before that wasn't too great_". He wanted to hear Aang's side of the story however, so he let Aang continue.

"We were in a cavern underneath Ba Sing Se. Long story short: Katara and I were fighting Azula, Zuko came in, he decided to side with Azula and attacked me, while Katara and Azula fought. The fights swapped, with Zuko fighting Katara and Azula fighting me."

"Zuko and Katara were fighting?" Akio cut in, his eyebrows lowering in confusion.

"It wasn't the first time." Aang told him darkly. "They're evenly matched."

Akio doubted this, but kept silent. He had heard of the Fire Nation Royal Family's ruthlessness when it came to battle. He had also heard of Prince Zuko's temper. Put the two together and it did not bode well for Zuko's opponents.

"So it was two against two. A fair fight, even if Zuko and Azula's fighting tactics were a little less than fair." Aang remembered, seeing the hazy outline of Katara being thrown back into a small wall of hard rock crystals after she failed to defend herself against the siblings combined attacks on her. "A fair fight, that was, until the Dai Li agents joined the equation."

Akio, although thoroughly absorbed in Aang's tale, although he already knew how it ended, couldn't help cutting in.

"Considering the odds, you don't look too bad, neither does Katara." He pointed out, giving Aang a quick once-over to assure himself there were no injuries there.

"You haven't seen the hole in my back." Aang muttered, averting his eyes to the side. It was odd talking about this with someone he had just met, but he needed to talk about it to someone. In the week or so that Katara and Toph were in Ba Sing Se, he was unconscious or weak, so couldn't discuss it with Sokka. Not that Sokka would understand…Aang knew that the only people who would understand him would be people who watched him fall after the lightning struck. He obviously wouldn't talk to Azula about it, and he'd be damned if he spoke to Zuko about anything, let alone something like this. That only left Katara, who he hadn't been alone with long enough yet. He was about to say something the other day when she had been looking at the map from the spirit library, but of course Zuko had come along and interrupted them.

"There's a hole in your back?" Akio repeated, sounding as though he were sure he'd misheard. Siyu had come into sight, but he was determined Aang finish his memory.

"Azula can create and manipulate lightning." Aang explained, looking up to Akio. "It turns out that she isn't one to stand by idly and watch as I go into the Avatar State. I had levitated to near the cavern's roof when she struck."

"Gods…" Akio whispered, horrified, forgetting to tell Appa to descend.

"I remember the agony…then falling." Aang said, his eyes faraway as he relived the moment.

"Katara caught me. She thought I was dead." Aang's voice was haunted. "I was - until she healed me later, after we'd gotten out." Katara had briefly filled him in on what had happened in one of the rare moments he was conscious after leaving Ba Sing Se the first time. "So there she was, crying, holding my body and surrounded by Dai Li agents. Yet _they_ were still ready to attack her." Aang's face contorted in disgust, and Akio didn't have to ask who 'they' were. "If Iroh hadn't come in when he did…I'd have a lot worse than a hole in my back."

"Go down here." Akio murmured after a moment of silence. Aang nodded and told Appa to land. Akio studied the young Avatar closely before speaking again. "That explains the looks you gave Zuko before."

"I'll never forgive him." Aang spat angrily. "He's only with us because Iroh is teaching me Firebending."

_That, and he's in love with your Waterbending friend…_Akio mused, but did not dare say this out loud. The few minutes he had seen of the group altogether he could tell that the boy introduced as Sokka felt as strongly about the Fire Prince as Aang did. Appa slowly began to descend and there was silence on the bison's head. Both boys turned to watch the others on Appa's back, where excited chatter still continued, obviously unaware of the conversation that had just gone on only a couple of metres away.

"Not that that should cloud your judgement on Zuko." Aang said sarcastically to Akio, turning back to face the front. "I'm sure he's a _great_ guy when you get to know him."

Akio laughed, glad that the mood had been lightened a little. He had heard passing tales from travellers of how young and carefree the Avatar was, but Akio could see the dark, troubled look in his eyes and could guess that the carefree part of the Avatar had died when the lightning had hit.

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Katara glanced over the side of the bison. Night had truly fallen, and the stars and moon were visible in the sky, shining boldly against the oppressive dark. On the ground, a few small pricks of light stood out against the black-looking sand. These lights grew as Appa slowly made his way down to what could only be Siyu. The dark outlines of buildings became more visible the lower down they got, until soon Appa's legs were becoming dangerously close to kicking the tops of the tallest buildings. Although much bigger than a simple village, Siyu still wasn't very large; Katara estimated that there were around fifty houses surrounding a circular town centre.

"My, Siyu has certainly changed." Iroh remarked, as he too watched the town.

"And how long was it since you were last here, Uncle?" Zuko asked dryly, not quite being able to draw his eyes away from the hypnotizing lights from the occasional building below.

"Instead of calculating, I will save time and acknowledge that you have a point." Iroh admitted, causing the group to laugh, or, in Zuko's case, smile slightly.

Appa landed just outside Siyu, landing on the sand which, on impact, flew up before quickly showering back down to the desert ground. Akio stood up and climbed down Appa's neck to his sister.

"And how was your flying experience?" He asked her, mock-seriously, as though he were asking a question on a survey. Jia raised her eyebrows in response. "Just asking." Akio shrugged, holding his hands in a 'don't shoot!' style.

"I'll have you know it was fine." Jia said, stroking Momo's head affectionately. "I think I made a new friend at least."

Toph stood up impatiently. "It's sweet that we're in the 'getting to know you' phase, but if I don't set my feet on some solid ground soon-"

"Okay, okay." Sokka interrupted, rolling his eyes and also standing up. "But I think Jia and Akio should be the ones to go first. After all, it is their town and they should be the ones to introduce us."

"Sounds good." Jia agreed, and Akio nodded. The twins stood up, closely followed by the rest of the group. Jia glanced somewhat nervously over Appa's side for awhile, before turning to the others.

"It's safe to jump." Sokka told her, before she could even open her mouth. Jia continued to look worried, when suddenly Akio pushed her hard in the small of her back, causing her to fall from Appa. Katara, scandalized, rushed over to the edge of the bison, to check if Jia was okay. It was not a big fall by any means, but if she had landed at a wrong angle…. However, there was nothing to worry about. Jia had landed with the grace of a cat, her knees bent and body crouched over, with her palms flat on the sand. Her heels were raised, with only her toes to support her legs. After a moment, she straightened up and shook her hair out. It gave off a dramatic rippling effect in the moonlight, something which Katara knew she would never be able to achieve. An odd stab of jealously poked her uncomfortably in the ribs, until she pushed it aside and ignored it.

"Akio, you know I don't like being taken by surprise." Jia said, her voice reprimanding.

"Like it matters." Her brother scoffed. "You can land perfectly well, on any terrain, from any height and still not have a scratch on you." He followed his sister in jumping from the bison, landing efficiently enough but lacking the graceful landing of Jia. That wasn't to say that the boy fell spread-eagled on the sand; he landed as perfectly as his free-spirited sister, yet his landing was more controlled, and seemed like it had been planned.

"So, I'm feeling inferior." Sokka announced. "I think I'll just climb down Appa and save my embarrassment."

Katara laughed along with the others, but secretly felt the same. She would not be the first one to jump after the twins' performance. Luckily Toph, not knowing the word "humiliation" rolled her blind eyes and flung herself from Appa. She landed like she normally would: flat on her stomach with her face dangerously close to the sandy ground. Feeling less awkward, Katara followed in jumping, and landed with more elegance that Toph, but nowhere near in Jia's league.

_This is ridiculous, _Katara thought, as the others jumped off or climbed down Appa, _why am I jealous of a girl I've only just met? Am I really that insecure? I'm comparing our ability to land for Gods' sake!_ But as Katara watched Jia smile at Zuko as he landed, she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. _She's just being friendly, _Katara told herself. _The way she's flicking around her hair? A sign of friendship. So she's fluttering her eyelashes at him, so what? It's only a joke. And now she's touching his arm…yeah, I'd better go over there._

"Hey." She smiled, as she reached Zuko and Jia. "Are you sure this is okay, us staying in your village?" She asked Jia, just to distract her from Zuko.

"It's fine," Jia smiled, "our father owns an inn, you can all stay there."

"An inn?" Katara repeated, smiling back, but not quite hiding her confusion. "No offence but…you live in a desert. I wouldn't have thought it a popular holiday resort."

Jia laughed, and Katara noticed out of the corner of her eye that the others had already set off for the town. Katara began to walk too, hinting at Zuko and Jia that they should catch up to the others. The supplies had been left on Appa, to be unloaded when they were in the town.

"We get a lot of custom from people looking for fossils or buried treasure." Jia explained, before pausing and laughing again. "A couple of times we've had people looking for a library. _A library_. I mean, can you imagine?"

"Well they're not going to find one." Katara laughed uneasily, as she remembered discovering the library Jia was talking about, and almost being buried alive inside it. Zuko shot her an odd look, noticing the almost nervous note in her voice. Katara shrugged, and didn't look at either of the people beside her. "We kind of sank it."

"You sank a library?" Zuko repeated, then, as if to clarify, said, "A library that was in the middle of the desert."

"It's a spirit library." Jia supplied, as if this justified everything. "Legend says it's owned by Wan Shi Tong, he who-"

"-knows ten thousand things." Katara cut in. "There's one spirit you do not want to lie to."

"I wouldn't have thought there were any spirits you would want to lie to." Zuko mused, taking Katara's hand subtly. Katara felt a burst of happiness as his warmth spread over her, and she instantly forgot any ill feelings she had towards Jia.

"Well, most spirits you lie to don't sink an enormous library with you inside it in retaliation." Katara teased, squeezing his hand gently. Zuko squeezed back and smiled, but did not say anything.

"It sounds like you've done a lot, Katara, and I've only just met you." Jia said, an impressed smile on her face.

"I've known her for months, and I still don't know how much she's done." Zuko grumbled.

"Months?" Jia repeated, frowning slightly. "I thought you'd only been with each other for a couple of weeks."

There was an awkward silence, in which the chit-chat of their companions in front of them could be heard. Momo flew above them, chirruping occasionally. Siyu was getting closer, and two towers were now visible at the front of the town. It was hard to tell how tall the towers were from this distance, but they reminded Katara of Sokka's pathetic watchtowers back at the South Pole. Only these towers, unlike the ones Sokka built, were obviously not made from ice and snow. What looked like a small wall surrounded Siyu, which Katara had not seen from the sky. Pushing aside the sudden dread she inexplicably felt, Katara turned back to what Jia had just said, and answered.

"We don't count the time where Zuko was trying to kill me and my friends." She rationalized after an extended silence.

"Capture, _capture_." Zuko corrected. "Not kill."

"Whatever." Katara said, poking her tongue out at him. She was glad they could talk about the past without any anger or discomfort. It _was_ in the past after all, and Zuko had been a different person then.

"You have a very dysfunctional relationship." Jia concluded after a moment.

"Don't I know it." Zuko said, but his smile showed that he would want it no other way. Katara smiled back, only daring to gaze into his golden eyes for a mere few seconds, before dragging her eyes over to Jia.

"Your landing earlier was very impressive." She complimented, making amicable chat until they reached the town. "Are you an acrobat?"

"Oh, no." Jia laughed. "My father used to fight in the war, so he showed Akio and I some moves either he had used, or others around him had used."

"Are you or your brother Earthbenders?" Katara asked, suddenly remembering a question she had meant to ask earlier.

"No one in our family is, but our little brother is starting to show signs of it." Jia sounded gloomy, and her eyes had become downcast. Katara was about to open her mouth to ask why this was a bad thing, when Zuko spoke quietly.

"All Earthbenders have to fight in the war."

"Not all, but most." Jia nodded. "Hime is only very young, but I fear that if this war continues for much longer…"

"It won't." Katara said quietly. "One way or another, it'll be over by this time next year."

Although there was only a small night breeze in the desert, Katara felt herself shiver. She knew that there was a battle fast approaching, but saying it aloud made it more real. Zuko's hand had griped hers tighter at these words, and a rush of heat had warmed Katara's fingers.

No one spoke another word after that, but quickened their paces so that they caught up with the rest of the group easily. Zuko dropped Katara's hand as soon as they were walking alongside her friends, and Katara had to resist the impulse to snatch it back.

Reaching the towers marking the entrance to the town, Katara felt unease stir in the pit of her stomach. She could now see that there was a thick black wooden gate in between the two towers, one which Akio smartly rapped. A small part of the wood came away to reveal a pair of eyes. The voice behind they eyes muttered something only Akio could hear. Akio murmured back. In this time, Katara was examining her surroundings. At the top of both towers beside her, there was a small box, in which the faint silhouette of a man could be seen by the light of a flaming torch. This was not the most welcoming way to greet travellers to a new place, but Katara supposed that, being this close to the now dangerous Ba Sing Se, security had to be increased. This explained the wooden wall surrounding Siyu, which she could see more clearly up close. She suppressed a shiver, as a thought ran through her mind.

_It's like Siyu is trying to keep people inside the town…it's a prison. _However, Katara quickly dismissed the thought. The wall wasn't very high, so it was more likely there to stop sandstorms blowing into the village, or making sure predators couldn't get in. It looked oppressive simply because it was dark; in the morning the wall would probably look harmless and innocent.

"Okay guys." Akio said, turning from the gate to face them. "Sorry about the hold-up. It's just with Princess Azula taking over Ba Sing Se…you can't be too careful, you know?"

The others nodded or murmured their agreement, standing patiently until Akio spoke again.

"That was our father at the gate just then." Jia said suddenly, walking over to join her brother. "I expect he's gone to clear your arrival with the town's elders." She looked at Akio, wanting him to confirm or deny her words.

"The elders thought that the Avatar and his friends would find this town sooner or later, so I doubt they're discussing whether to let you in or not." Akio shook his head, and smiled at Katara. "Don't worry. I won't let them turn you away."

Although he was probably speaking to all of them, Katara couldn't shake the thought that he was talking only to her. His eyes didn't leave hers as he spoke, and they lingered for a moment after he fell silent. Katara smiled shyly and looked away, unsure of how to respond. Unfortunately, she had looked away to Zuko, who now glared at Akio with burning intensity.

_So maybe it wasn't just me who noticed the direction of Akio's words, _Katara thought, hoping for Akio's sake that Zuko wasn't jealous.

The group stood in silence for awhile, their tiredness and lack of sleep having crept up on them from behind, and now holding them prisoners in its grasp. Why it was taking them so long to gain access to Siyu, none of them knew, and if Jia or Akio did, then they weren't saying. Eventually, just as Katara felt like she would drop to the ground out of exhaustion, the gate opened fully, creaking loudly from lack of use.

"Come." A man beckoned, holding up a single candle that dimly illuminated the night around him.

"Dad, must you be so dramatic?" Jia asked, rolling her eyes and following the man inside the gate. Akio followed, gesturing for the others to come also. Aang led the group, which walked somewhat hesitantly into Siyu.

"I'm sorry, but you have to admit it's thrilling." The man - Jia and Akio's father - shrugged. He too had a dark cloak on, identical to his children's. "The Avatar and his friends of all people coming to Siyu!" He peered excitedly at the faces behind him, glancing quickly from one to the other, although it was impossible to see them clearly by the pathetic light.

"I think they'll be more enthusiastic in the morning." Akio explained to his father with a smile in his voice when no one spoke for several moments. "After they have a good night's sleep." He was now hinting to his father to move, as the man had come to a halt.

"Oh, right!" Their father nodded, walking forward once more. "My family and I live in an inn, which you are all more than welcome to stay in. No charge, of course."

"You are very kind." Aang said, sounding as though he were choosing his words carefully. Katara couldn't blame him; this man sounded like he was a few twigs short of a bonfire and he had only made their acquaintance a minute or two ago.

_In fact, he hasn't even done that, _Katara corrected herself, as she realized that Jia and Akio's father hadn't yet told them his name. But instead of saying anything aloud, Katara and the rest of the group followed Jia, Akio and their father to a building quite a way into the town. They stood, unmoving, outside a thick wooden door.

"Here we are." Akio said, trying to sound enthusiastic and failing. "Home sweet home."

His father suddenly stopped and turned to face the group at large, pulling out a key with his left hand from a hidden pocket in his cloak.

"I am Hin." He announced, before placing the key inside the lock, twisting it and pushing the door open. He walked a few steps before becoming engulfed in darkness, his weak candle no match for the gloom.

"Come on." Akio muttered, following after his father. Jia soon walked in, tailed by Aang, Sokka, Iroh, Kuei and Toph. Finally only Zuko and Katara were left.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Katara whispered, finding Zuko's hand and clutching it.

"Don't worry." Zuko replied with ease, squeezing her hand back comfortingly. "I said I wouldn't let anything happen to you, and I meant it."

He walked into the door, with Katara only following half-heartedly. Soon both were swallowed by the dark, and there was no way out.

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_**A/N:**_

_**Damn my procrastination! I meant to write more for this chapter, but didn't have the time. I hope this was okay. Again, I can't read through it so please tell me of any mistakes.**_

_**My friend Heather wanted me to have the name Hime somewhere in this fanfic, so the credit goes to her for the name.**_

Avatarded: **_I'll use your title name in the next chapter. I'll definitely use it, because I found it randomly funny (yeah, I'm weird) :P_**

_**I'm off to Ibiza tomorrow, and won't be back for a week. In the meantime, I hope you all have a great week. Thank you so much to my reviewers, and please review this chapter :D**_

_**- Momo**_


	5. The Twin Invasion

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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_It's a really good job I'm not afraid of the dark, _Katara thought, but even as she thought these words her hand gripped onto Zuko's tighter. She could hear scuffling around her, no doubt her friends trying to find their own way forward in the pitch black room.

"Stay where you are a moment, please." Akio requested, his voice coming from somewhere to Katara's far left.

"Really not going to be a problem." Katara replied, with a shaky laugh. To her left, she felt Zuko turn towards her slightly. She huddled into him, praying that the lights wouldn't come on until she had distanced herself. Silently, Zuko comforted her, and Katara immediately felt better.

"So…nice place you've got here." Sokka drawled through the darkness, to some laughter.

"Believe it or not, it's nicer when you see it." Jia replied, and Katara could imagine the smile on her face.

There was suddenly a loud bang a few feet in front of Katara and she, along with the rest of the group, exclaimed loudly and jumped back. Someone, probably Sokka, had fell to the floor, his head landing on Katara's foot.

"Ow." Katara protested weakly, shaking her foot so the mysterious head would move. A speck of glowing light could be seen from a distance, moving up and down as if by itself. Just ask Katara was about to voice her concerns about the speck, a rush of light erupted from the back of what was now a dimly illuminated room.

"Found it!" Came Hin's gleeful voice, as he walked towards the group with a large lantern held aloft in his hand. The fire inside the lantern balanced on a small mound of wax like a make-shift candle, and flames licked the lantern's glass sides half-heartedly in a feeble effort to escape.

"What was the banging noise?" Asked Sokka, who - as Katara had predicted - was on the wooden floor, in the process of getting himself up. Katara, who had quickly let go of Zuko's hand when the lantern had been lit, offered her hand to Sokka, both exasperated and amused at his actions. Somewhat grudgingly, he took her hand and hauled himself up so roughly that he almost brought his little sister down with him.

"You're welcome." Katara muttered sarcastically as Sokka walked away without a word.

"I walked into the table." Hin answered sheepishly to Sokka's question. "I really must remember to keep the lantern and matches nearer to the door."

"Or you could hang the lanterns up and always have them lit, like Jia and I have been suggesting for months." Akio commented dryly. "It'd save you fiddling with matches."

"It _is_ difficult…" Hin agreed, setting the lantern onto a heavy wooden table in front of where Aang and Toph stood. "But it's probably better in the long run if I carry on doing this; it'll keep the match sellers in business." He laughed and pulled out one of the many wooden chairs surrounding the large table. As he sat down, he gestured around the room for the others to follow his example. Whilst Jia and Akio sat down almost immediately, the Avatar's gang held back awkwardly.

"We don't bite." Akio teased gently, observing his new friend's uncomfortable stances.

Before anyone could answer that, Jia stood up as quickly as she had sat down and turned her eyes to her family. "Look at us, expecting the Avatar and his friends to be wide awake!" she turned to Aang and his friends, "It's the middle of the night practically; I bet you're all exhausted." Her mouth formed a sympathetic smile which mirrored her tone of voice as she looked at the group in front of her. "Why don't I show you all to your rooms?"

Grateful beyond words, Aang and his friends followed Jia through the dimly lit entrance room, bidding goodnight to Akio and Hin as they went, and soon came to a flight of stairs. The stairs, which like the rest of the furniture were wooden and solid, and made little noise as many feet trudged up them. What Katara assumed were lanterns hung on the low ceiling, lighting up their path. As helpful as this undoubtedly was, a couple of times Sokka and the Earth King managed to banged their heads. Zuko was more careful, but that didn't stop him narrowly missing a swinging lantern.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to share rooms." Jia said apologetically from her place as head of the group.

"That's fine." Aang said. "Again, thank you for your hospitality."

Nothing else was said until the group had climbed the stairs and stood on a narrow, darkened hallway. There was another flight of stairs beside them, which Jia now led them up, again in single file.

"Although we don't get as much custom as we would if we were in a city, it's still best to be prepared." She explained, although no one had questioned the size of the inn. "We have a total of seven rooms. The first three rooms on the first floor belong to myself, Akio and my father. Hime, our younger brother, shares a room with Akio." She paused to laugh, a light, silvery sound. "But that won't last for long if Akio has anything to say about it."

Katara privately wondered about Jia, Akio and Hime's mother, but did not bring the subject up in case it was painful. Besides, she was conserving her breath for climbing these damn stairs that seemed to go on for much longer than they probably did. There was a dull thud as a lantern connected with Sokka's head again, followed by a disgruntled "stupid lantern" as the dark outline of Sokka rubbed his head.

"You might want to stop doing that, Snoozles." Toph advised from her place behind Aang. "You probably shouldn't waste what precious few brain cells you have left."

"Thanks." Sokka replied icily. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

Again, no one spoke until they had all crammed themselves onto the considerably smaller hallway, which was even more dimly lit than the last. However, at the end of the hallway there was a window that would let in sunlight in later hours.

"There's only one bedroom up here, but it's a little bigger than the ones on the first floor. Plus there's an extra bathroom on this floor, in case the others are engaged." Jia said, pulling out a key that she must have picked up from her father, and walking a couple of steps to a wooden door. Squinting a little in the bad light, she placed the key inside an ancient lock and twisted it. With a click, the door opened to reveal a room that was darker than the hallway. Dark shapes that Katara assumed were two beds, a desk and chair and a wardrobe of some sort took up a lot of space in the room. The room could not be described as large by any means, but it was not cramped. Still in the hallway, Jia reached up for a lantern that was hanging from the ceiling and unhooked it carefully. She walked into the room, nodding for the others to follow her.

"Seeing as there's seven of you, there's going to be one person left over if two people share a room." Jia said, scanning the faces of the people in front of her. The room was not built to hold this many people, so everyone looked squashed and uncomfortable.

"I'll be the person that's left over!" Sokka volunteered immediately, raising his hand enthusiastically. Katara, Zuko and Toph rolled their eyes.

"Actually Sokka, I think Kuei should be the one who has the room to himself." Aang disagreed, turning to the Earth King. "That is, if that's okay with you."

"That's fine." Kuei nodded, pushing up his small glasses and examining the room that was to be his. "I think I'll be quite comfortable here."

"So then who's everyone else going to be sharing with?" Sokka complained, as if this wasn't clear. It probably hadn't occurred to him that there was a perfectly logical answer to his somewhat less than intelligent question.

"Isn't it a little obvious?" Katara asked dubiously, as though she weren't sure if her brother was serious. "You and Aang, Zuko and Iroh, me and Toph. Unless," she added slyly, "you want me to share with Zuko."

"Not a chance!" Sokka snapped, at the same time as Aang snarled "No way".

Katara had expected this reaction from Sokka (it was one of the reasons she had suggested she share a room with Zuko) but Aang's harsh voice startled her slightly. She thought that it was clear that her words were only meant as a joke, but the young Airbender had taken her words seriously. Iroh cleared his throat to break the now tense atmosphere, and Katara looked away sadly from Aang's defiant face.

"I'll show you the other rooms." Jia said hastily, moving aside to allow the Earth King to enter into the room properly and giving him the key. "I hope you enjoy your stay, Your Majesty."

"Please child, call me Kuei." Kuei said absent-mindedly, fixated with the small wardrobe in the corner of the room. "Goodnight to you all."

There was a small chorus of "goodnight", and everyone trailed out of the room, following Jia down the wooden stairs. Jia still held the lantern in her hand, and did not pause to set it down anywhere, which suited the others fine as they now had a small light to follow. However, this light was only tiny, and not easily visible to those at the back of the group.

"Can't you just do some Firebending or something to light the way, Iroh?" Sokka grumbled. Katara inwardly sighed as she noticed that Sokka had excluded Zuko from the question, although he too could Firebend.

"Good plan if you want the whole building to go up in flames." Zuko snorted derisively, including himself in the question anyway. "If you hadn't noticed, the stairway is enclosed. Even a small uncontrolled spark could set the inn ablaze."

"Yeah, well I wasn't asking _you_." Sokka muttered, but said no more on the matter. Katara rolled her eyes again and shook her head, wondering when, if ever, her brother and Aang would accept Zuko as a part of their group and a major part of Katara's life.

"Play nice children." Toph ordered sarcastically, despite being younger than the 'children' she was referring to.

"I don't think they know what the words mean in that order." Katara doubted, hoping to avoid an argument by lightening the conversation. However, it didn't work.

"Hey, Angry Jerk over there might not be mature, but I-"

"Do you _want_ me to set you on fire?" Zuko interrupted Sokka, growling.

"Here we are!" Jia intervened before a fight could start. She stepped down from the last step onto the floor, and made room for everyone to gather around before facing the group at large. "These first two rooms are mine and my brothers'. Mines on the left." She added, in a slightly suggestive voice, looking directly at Zuko. The others didn't notice this, but Katara sure did, and she felt her eyes narrow in hostility towards Jia. But before she could say anything, Jia had moved onto the room next door to hers.

"Can we have this one?" Sokka asked Jia, the moment she had pointed it out.

"Uh…sure." Jia answered, looking confused at Sokka's rapid request.

"Good." Sokka smiled. "The nearer to the stairs we are, the nearer to the kitchen."

Jia laughed, but everyone else remained silent. They knew that Sokka wasn't joking, and genuinely wanted to be the closest to any food that may be around. Still smiling, Jia unlocked the room that was now Sokka and Aang's, and showed them inside. From what Katara could see, it was a smaller version of Kuei's. Jia gave the key to Sokka before he collapsed on the nearest bed with a smile on his face.

"See you in the morning." Aang muttered, before closing the door with a bit more force than was necessary in Katara's opinion.

"Hey, these beds have sheets!" they heard Sokka exclaim in delight before they moved on. Iroh chuckled and shook his head, and even Toph smiled.

"Is he always this enthusiastic?" Jia asked in amusement.

"You should see him before he's had anything to eat in the morning…that'd answer your question." Katara said darkly, partly because it was the truth, and partly because she was still pissed at Jia for openly flirting with Zuko.

"The room opposite Sokka and the Avatar belongs to my father, but the rest of the rooms are free. The two rooms at the end of the hallway are bathrooms." Jia said, pointing out the rooms as she spoke.

"We'll take the room next to Aang and Sokka." Katara decided quickly. "That okay, Toph?"

"Sure." Toph shrugged. "The further away from Scarface those two are, the better."

This had been Katara's personal reasoning for choosing that particular room, but she didn't vocalise this. Instead she settled for what she hoped was a disapproving look in Toph's direction, and an apologetic one in Zuko's. Zuko also shrugged with cool nonchalance, as if to say "well, it's fair".

Jia meanwhile was unlocking Zuko and Iroh's room with another key. The wooden door creaked loudly as it opened, causing Katara to wince at the noise.

"Sorry." Jia apologised to the group. "You'll just have to get used to it, I'm afraid."

"It's fine. As long as we have the room, it does not matter about the door." Iroh said kindly, walking eagerly forward into his and his nephew's new darkened room. Katara, Toph, Zuko and Jia could hear Iroh's overjoyed little squeaks at the new things he saw. His enthusiasm, however, was not catching to Zuko who rolled his eyes and followed in after his uncle, disappearing into the dark room.

"Uncle, it's a room. Calm down." Katara heard him mutter, and she tried not to laugh at his tone. A moment later, Zuko reappeared at the door looking exasperated.

"Well, it doesn't look as though I'm going to get much sleep tonight." He murmured, jerking his head in his uncle's direction. The girls in front of him laughed and nodded their heads in agreement. Now also smiling, Zuko took a step forward, and leant down to kiss Katara on the cheek.

"Goodnight." He said to all of them when he'd straightened up. Jia and Toph echoed his word, but Katara remained silent. She was too busy standing there, grinning like an idiot to say anything. Every time Zuko touched her, her knees trembled slightly and each time he let her go she calculated how long it would be until she felt his warm fingers caress her face, his soft lips pressed gently against hers again. Each second not spent in Zuko's presence seemed wasted somehow.

_Is this what love feels like? _Katara wondered, _or is this the beginning of a stalkerish obsession? I really hope it isn't the latter._

Zuko, bemused at Katara's vacant expression, took the key that Jia offered, shook his head and shut the door to his room gently. The moment the door had shut, Toph turned to Katara.

"Does your heart speed up every time he kisses you? Because it's gross and kind of pathetic." She complained.

"What are you, my heart rate monitor?" Katara replied, snapping out of her trance and turning her eyes on Toph. Katara's words had been harsh, until she noticed that Toph was grinning and had obviously only meant her words in jest. "But yes."

"I know how that feels." Jia sighed happily, walking the few steps across the hallway and beginning to unlock Katara and Toph's room. "I have a boyfriend in Ba Sing Se."

Katara snorted before she could stop herself. Jia had a boyfriend? Given the way she acted around Zuko, Katara would never have guessed. Jia nodded understandingly and even smiled.

"I know I've been laying it on a little thick with Zuko." She whispered, evidently unsure if anyone else was listening in. She successfully opened the door and stepped inside the room, with Katara and Toph following. "I just thought that if your friends thought that I was interested in Zuko, then it'd stop them from guessing about you two."

Katara felt sweet relief rush through her as Jia spoke. Soon after came gratitude, which was inevitably followed by guilt about her less-than-friendly thoughts towards Jia previously. Jia set down the lantern on a nearby small wooden table, giving the room minimal light and perched on the edge of the nearest bed. Katara, who had still not properly seen Jia's face even though her cloak had been cast aside minutes ago, tried to make out some of her features in the dark, but was unable to see anything other than wavy, dark hair and the inscrutable outline of a nose.

"That's…really nice." Katara managed, smiling. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Jia said, standing back up and picking the lantern back up. "It upsets me that I don't get to see Solan - that's my boyfriend - that often, but we send each other letters a lot. I really miss him."

Neither Katara nor Toph quite knew what to say to that, so they both remained in slightly awkward silence. Jia sighed heavily and walked over to the door, the light following her and leaving the remaining girls in almost jet-black.

"Goodnight, I'll see you in the morning." She said, with a sad smile. She opened the door and shut it, leaving the room truly in darkness.

"She took the lantern, didn't she?" Toph asked after a moment.

"Yeah," Katara nodded, even thought Toph wouldn't have been able to see her even if she wasn't blind, "why?"

"No reason." Toph said innocently, and Katara heard her take a few steps behind her. Not long after there was a creak of bedsprings and the sound of a head hitting a pillow. "Goodnight Sugar Queen."

"Toph, it's pitch black, you can't just leave me standing here all night! Help me find my way!" Katara said indignantly, careful not to raise her voice too loud in case someone in the next room woke up. "Please?" She added pathetically a moment later.

It seemed to work; at any rate, Toph sighed loudly and theatrically and gave directions for Katara to walk in until she reached the second bed. Any moment Katara expected to smack into a wardrobe or worse, fall out of a window. But, in less than a minute, she had found her bed and, after taking her shoes off and placing them at the side, carefully placed her head down. Her head sank gently into the soft pillow, and Katara sighed with satisfaction. It had been too long since she had lain in a proper bed such as this, which - as Sokka had exclaimed - actually _did_ have sheets.

"Welcome change from a blanket on a pile of sand, isn't it?" Toph murmured through the darkness.

"Sure is. Goodnight." Katara smiled, snuggling into the bed and pulling the covers over her body. She was warm and comfortable, and it wasn't long until she drifted happily off to sleep. It also wasn't long until a nightmare stalked its way into her mind.

_Katara opened her eyes to darkness. This wasn't a surprise; she must have woken up when it was still night. It took Katara perhaps five seconds to realize that she wasn't lying horizontally in a soft and cosy bed anymore. She was standing upright, although there was no support to stand on. Everything around her was black and silent and cold, and Katara stood in the middle of the abyss, unsure what to do. She tried moving, but it was like all her limbs had suddenly turned to stone. She tried calling out, but terror had gripped her throat. She tried breathing, but her chest constricted tightly._

_Then suddenly, out of nowhere, Zuko appeared in front of her about seven feet away. Katara's breathing became normal again, and a smile reached her lips as she knew that the panic was over. Zuko was here, and he would make everything better. But Zuko did not return her smile. He stared coldly down at her, his eyes like chips of ice, contrasting so greatly with his warm golden pupils. Katara's smile faltered, and the black void around them started to shift and transform. She found she was on her knees, staring up into the faces of Zuko and Azula. In her arms lay the lifeless body of Aang and her heart stopped for a moment as realization dawned on her._

We're in the crystal catacombs…_she thought frantically, _Iroh should be here by now! _But as the tears of horror began to slide down her cheeks, she knew that Iroh wasn't going to save them this time. Her shaking arms barely held up Aang's heavy body, and dull pain throbbed though every fibre of her body. Her eyes brushed over Aang's form once more, desperately hoping for him to start breathing, to get up and fight once more. But Aang's skin was tinged with grey, and a small trickle of blood from his mouth ran down his chin. A thought struck her, and she looked around beside her. The lifeless bodies of Sokka, Toph and Katara's mother and father were strewn carelessly in front of her, their glazed eyes wide open. Their bodies were scorched and damaged beyond repair, and blood began to seep from them onto the cold stone floor they lay on._

"_No…" Katara whispered, her furious eyes snapping up to Zuko. "How could you let this happen?" She shouted, her voice breaking as more tears fell._

"_You didn't really think you could trust me, did you?" Zuko asked coldly. "I haven't changed. I will _never_ change. It's too late."_

"_It's never too late!" Katara screamed vehemently, sobs wracking her body. "Please, you can fix this!"_

_Zuko stared into her eyes, his glare so filled with hatred that Katara almost looked away in fear._

"_You can't trust me." He said distinctly, before raising his fingertips and placing them together. Even if Katara had wanted to dodge the strike, she couldn't have. Lightning burst from Zuko's fingertips as he pointed them directly towards her. The lightning was beautiful but deadly, its brilliant light and brightness hurting Katara's eyes as she watched it hurtle towards her. Just as the lightning made impact with her chest, Katara woke up, gasping._

She jerked upright, breathing heavily, ignoring the tears streaming down her cheeks. Her chest heaved as she glanced around her, checking that there was no immediate danger. The room was still dark, and it was perhaps a few hours still to go until sunrise. Katara swallowed and tried to compose herself, hugging her legs to her chest in an attempt to stop her body violently shaking. For how long she sat there, sobbing and shaking, she did not know. She couldn't stop the image of Zuko's cold eyes staring at her without pity from entering her mind. His words… _"You can't trust me"_ echoed hauntingly in her head, until she clapped her hands over her ears in a futile attempt to just make the voice stop.

"It was just a dream, just a dream, just a dream." Katara whispered over and over, to try and calm herself down. Taking deep breaths, she carefully manoeuvred herself so that she lay back on the bed and tightly shut her eyes. But even from underneath her eyelids, the disturbing image of the lifeless and scorched bodies of her loved ones stalked her until she forced her eyes open once more. Staring through the darkness, Katara managed to compose herself a little. It was obvious that it had just been a dream…therefore not real. Zuko loved her, and she loved him. He wouldn't hurt her, and Katara would rather die than bring him any pain.

"Just a dream." She murmured to herself as her eyes drifted shut again. Despite the niggling doubt in her mind, Katara managed to resume a fitful sleep.

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When Katara opened her eyes again, daylight streamed through a window that took up half of the wall. Blinking rapidly and shielding her eyes against the bright sun, she sat up. The bed creaked a little under the change of movement, but Katara ignored it, instead looked around the room, which was now entirely visible in the strong morning sunlight. It definitely wasn't a palace, being only a few metres bigger than the prison cell back in Ba Sing Se she and Zuko had been trapped in a couple of weeks ago.

_Was it only two weeks? _Katara thought, calculating how long it had been and indeed coming up with just over two weeks.

The walls were decorated with the occasional abstract painting, but were otherwise bare. However, this didn't mean that the room was unwelcome. A vase of mixed flowers was perched on the small wooden table separating Toph and Katara's beds, giving the room extra warmth. A writing desk was crammed into a corner of the room, restricting the already small space, with a chair carefully placed underneath it. Opposite the desk was a wardrobe, a little taller than Katara, with a mirror attached to one of its doors.

_Not bad, _Katara thought approvingly, moving her neck slowly from side to side to alleviate any stiffness that remained. Quickly glancing over to see if Toph was still asleep (she was - all spread out like a starfish, with half the covers on and half of them thrown onto the floor) Katara swung her legs over the side of her bed and stood up. She wobbled momentarily at the head rush she had deserved by standing up so fast, then began to tread very quietly towards the door. A loud _creak _emitted from a floorboard that Katara had stepped on, and she winced. After making sure that Toph was still asleep, Katara began tiptoeing her way to the door again.

"Please, walk louder." Came Toph's drawling voice, dripping with sarcasm. "Why not wake the whole town up?"

"Good morning sunshine." Katara muttered, before turning around to face her friend. "Good sleep?"

"It was." Toph grumbled, sitting herself upright. "Until you decided to stomp across the room."

"I was hardly _stomping_." Katara snorted, rolling her eyes. "I'm going to down to see if I can make breakfast, are you coming?"

"Give me a moment," Toph replied, stretching and yawning widely, before running a hand through her bushy morning hair. After a few combs, Toph deemed herself suitable and stood up. Following her lead, Katara walked over to the mirror and untied her hair, allowing it to fall loosely over her shoulders. She would re-tie it afterwards, when she had more time to concentrate on something other than the hunger in her stomach.

Toph followed Katara through the door and down the wooden stairs. In the daylight that shone through the many windows, it was easy to see the inn clearly. The stairs were indeed very narrow, but definitely looked and felt solid enough to support the weight of a hundred people. The occasional step squeaked as Katara or Toph stood on it, but other than that the stairway was silent.

This all changed when Katara and Toph descended the last step and walked carefully into the large entrance room they had stood in the previous night. Jia, Akio, Hin, Kuei, Zuko, Iroh and Aang were all seated around the large wooden table, eating from bowls that contained something steaming and probably delicious.

All heads turned to Katara and Toph as they entered the room, and each person's face relaxed into a greeting smile. There were four spare chairs at the table, and Akio pulled out the two nearest to him. Luckily for Katara, one of these chairs was opposite to where Zuko sat, so she gladly took that seat.

"I'll get you some porridge." Jia said, and for the first time Katara saw her clearly, before Jia bustled off into what was presumably the kitchen.

Katara could not stop her heart from sinking as she stared after Jia. The girl was, in all senses of the word, beautiful. Her typically russet coloured hair cascaded down her slim face, resting neatly on her shoulders. Not a brunette curl was out of place on her head, and as she sashayed towards the kitchen, the shining sunlight caught her hair, which glittered and sparkled. From what Katara had seen of Jia's face, it was perfect. The girl's cheekbones were defined, and it looked as though Jia had already applied some sort of light makeup to her cheeks; no one's were that colour naturally. There was not a blemish or mark on her face, and her skin looked smooth and creamy. Jia was tanned, darker that Toph but not quite as dark as Sokka or Katara, and it suited her perfectly. Her lips were full, and had pulled back into a dazzling smile usually reserved for models or people who could afford having their teeth whitened. And lastly, her eyes…like two emeralds glimmering brightly, framed by smoky eyelashes and laying under perfectly shaped eyebrows.

_This is so, so unfair, _Katara thought to herself. _Even if Jia does have a boyfriend, there's nothing to stop Zuko falling for a girl who looks like that… _she fingered her own unwashed, rough hair subconsciously as her gaze lowered to the table. The others carried on chatting, but Katara did not join in. It was stupid to feel this upset and threatened about a pretty girl, but upset and threatened was exactly what Katara felt. She felt something nudge her leg gently under the table, and looked up in surprise to see Zuko frowning in concern at her. She realized that it probably looked as though there was something wrong with her, especially since a bowl of porridge had been placed in front of her, and she hadn't even noticed it was there. Katara smiled weakly, and picked up her spoon, dipping it into the oats and milk and bringing it up to her mouth. She felt Zuko's almost critical eyes on her, and wished he would look away. She was no longer in the mood to eat, but forced the sloppy oats past her tongue and swallowed heavily. Zuko, looking appeased, responded to a question his uncle had asked him, leaving Katara free to drag the spoon around the bowl morosely.

"You okay?" Akio murmured beside her. Katara glanced up at him, to see his worried eyes boring into hers with such intensity that she looked away, uncomfortable. She noticed now that Akio had the same level of beauty as his sister, although his features were obviously more manly and his hair shorter.

"I'm fine thanks…just tired, I guess." Katara replied quietly, making up what she hoped was a convincing lie to excuse her less-than-attentive behaviour at the table.

"Probably due to that nightmare you had last night." Toph said conversationally, swallowing her latest batch of porridge. Katara snapped her eyes up to Toph, her brow furrowed in confusion. She didn't _remember_ any nightmare…or did she? As she tried to recollect the past night, a flood of images invaded her mind.

_Her family…dead. Zuko's eyes…cold and glaring. The lightning…bright and beautiful, but deadly. And of course, Zuko's parting words: "You can't trust me."_

Katara quickly forced her eyes back to the table, hoping that no one saw the pain and horror that had filled her face as she remembered the terrible nightmare.

"You had a nightmare?" Aang asked, his voice full of concern.

"Oh yeah, it was a big one by the feel of it." Toph said, ignoring the fact that the question was obviously directed at Katara. "Her heart was racing like mad, and her breathing was uneven for ages."

"What was it about?" Akio asked, his voice similar to Aang's with the concern it held.

Katara's eyes subconsciously rose to meet Zuko's, before she realized what she was doing and slammed them back down to the table. "I don't remember." She muttered firmly, bringing the spoon filled with porridge up to her lips and forcing herself to swallow. Although the porridge probably tasted delicious, Katara was now even less in the mood to eat, and allowed her loose hair to fall in front of her face so that her features were hidden. After a moment, uneasy talk started up again, and although Katara glanced at Zuko several times over the course of breakfast, he was determinedly avoiding her eyes, and kept his feet to himself. Desolate, Katara finished her bowl without even tasting one mouthful.

"Can I help wash up?" She asked Jia, once everyone else had finished.

"No, you go outside and explore." Jia encouraged, standing up and walking around the table, collecting everyone's empty bowls. "Siyu is a fascinating place…but there are some restrictions."

"Restrictions?" Aang repeated sceptically, raising his eyebrows.

"The Elders of our town are very concerned about people seeing things that perhaps they are not supposed to." Jia said slowly, and it was obvious that she was choosing her words very carefully.

"It's like Ba Sing Se all over again!" Toph complained. "Just more rules and boundaries that you know we're not going to follow anyway."

Akio and Hin laughed, but Katara shook her head and said quietly, "She's not kidding."

"Oh." Hin said, both he and his son now adopting a serious look. "Well."

"I don't want to sound arrogant-"

"Now why would _you _sound arrogant?" Aang interjected, his muttering voice dripping with venom and sarcasm. Zuko sent the boy a scathing look, but otherwise ignored his interruption.

"-but we aren't just people. We are travelling with the Avatar, the only one who can end this war once and for all. I'm sure your 'Elders' " the quotation marks in his scornful voice were evident "will make an exception just this once."

"Scarface has a point. For once, it's a pretty good one." Toph admitted, with a shrug. "Plus, we have the Earth King, the only daughter of one of the most prestigious families in the Earth Kingdom, and Fire Nation royalty. We're not just _people _who should be limited to stupid things like rules."

The table was silent for awhile, and Jia quietly gathered the rest of the bowls and carried them into the kitchen. She was back a moment later, apparently eager to hear how this conversation would be resolved.

"May I suggest a meeting with your Elders?" Iroh asked after a moment. "I'm sure they would be happy for an audience with the Avatar, especially considering the name of this town."

Jia and Akio exchanged looks that, for a fleeting moment, looked worried. Hin however looked thoughtful, and after a few seconds nodded.

"I shall broach the subject with the Elders." He agreed, standing up immediately. "I will go right now."

"Thank you." Aang said, standing up and bowing to Hin. His friends followed his example, and there was a scraping of chairs as everyone stood up and bowed. Hin smiled, inclined his head and left the room through the front door.

"Someone should go and wake Sokka up." Aang said after a moment. "Otherwise he'll be asleep all day."

"I don't know," Toph countered, "he'll be pretty upset that he missed breakfast. Maybe we should just leave him up there until lunch."

"We'll need all the help we can get if we're meeting the Elders." Zuko disagreed. "How pretentious does that title sound? The Elders…like we're all supposed to be impressed or something."

"As spoken by the _Prince _of the Fire Nation," Toph snorted. "Tell me, Your Highness, do you even know what pretentious means or are you just a really big hypocrite?"

"Funny. Any moment now I'm sure to laugh." Zuko replied sarcastically.

There was a pause, in which no one knew what to say. Katara glanced around, then looked up to the ceiling.

"I'd better go and wake Sokka," she said, gesturing upwards as she spoke. Her friends nodded their agreement, then continued standing in their awkward silence. Katara walked towards the stairs, and just as she had climbed the first few steps, she heard Zuko mutter that he had left something in his room. Shaking her head at Zuko's excuse, Katara carried on climbing, albeit a little slower so Zuko could catch up. When he did, he gently patted her arm from behind, as the staircase was not wide enough to deal with two people standing side by side.

"Do you want to talk about your nightmare?" He asked quietly. The others probably couldn't hear him anyway, but he was cautious.

Katara hesitated, before shaking her head. She didn't want Zuko to think that she was still dwelling on his betrayal, even though her subconscious self obviously was. It came as a surprise when Zuko sighed behind her.

"It was about me, wasn't it?"

Katara stopped climbing, even though there were only three more stairs to the first floor landing. She turned around slowly, confused. How did he know? Should she admit that, yes, her nightmare was indeed about him? Before she could answer, Zuko spoke again.

"I saw you look at me when Akio asked what your nightmare had been about." He said, sounding a cross between dejected, exasperated and, inexplicably, angry. "It was about the crystal catacombs, wasn't it? I mean, the first time around."

Katara, averting her gaze from Zuko's, nodded once. Zuko let out something between a hiss and a growl, causing Katara to look up, surprised.

"I'd thought you'd forgiven me for that." He said in frustration, his golden eyes beseeching.

"Forgiving and forgetting are two different things." Katara murmured, before turning back and walking the extra three steps so she stood on the landing. "If I could forget everything I would. In fact, no," she corrected herself, as Zuko joined her on the landing, "I wouldn't. Because then I wouldn't remember why I fell in love with you and…and I'd rather spend the rest of my life reliving the nightmare if I could just have that memory."

"Katara, you're rambling." Zuko smiled, before walking up to her and kissing her softly. Katara pulled away slightly, also smiling.

"You know, sometimes I think you kiss me just to shut me up."

"You know, sometimes I do." Zuko admitted, before kissing her again. It was reckless and dangerous, kissing her like this in the middle of an open place, but he didn't care. When he kissed her, no one existed apart from them, and the world stood still for the two young lovers. The world, apart from Akio, that was. He cleared his throat loudly, making Katara jump back guiltily.

"Oh, I thought you were someone else." She said, laughing a little in her relief.

"Was I interrupting?" Akio asked slyly, as if the answer wasn't obvious.

"No," assured Katara, at the same moment as Zuko replied "Yes, go away."

"Zuko!" Katara scolded with a grin, hitting him playfully on the arm.

"I'm sorry," he told Akio. "What I meant to say was 'yes, but come on in anyway'."

"That's better." Katara smiled, before turning to Akio. "What's up?"

Akio's eyes lingered for a moment on Zuko, his expression unreadable, before he turned back to Katara. "You might want to wake up your brother. My father has made you all an appointment with the Elders."

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_**A/N:**_

_**Argh, sorry it took so long to update! But this is a slightly longer chapter than normal, so I hope that appeases you :)**_

_**If you ask me, Zuko and Katara deserved to get caught if they were kissing in a place like that, lol.**_

_**So…the Elders, huh? Wonder what their deal is:P**_

_**Chapter title credit goes to **_Avatarded _**(whose username still makes me giggle), only I reworded it a little. The Twin's Invasion is not so much a literal invasion, but more of an invasion of privacy for Zuko, and particularly Katara. Plus, it kinda rhymes :D**_

_**Anyway, I'm back to school tomorrow, so if you could all review and give me something to get me through the day :P Eternal thanks to those who review, you really, really rock :D**_

_**Have a good week everyone!**_

_**- Momo**_


	6. The Outcast's Love

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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"I still don't understand what this has to do with me." Sokka grumbled, rubbing his head where Katara had whacked him before. His refusal to get up and out of bed over the years had caused Katara to hit him many times, but it didn't stop it from hurting. It was bad enough that he'd had to miss breakfast, but now, dragging his feet down the small streets of Siyu, the blinding desert sun was really hurting his eyes.

"What you don't understand could fill a library." Zuko growled lowly. Either Sokka ignored him (possible) or didn't hear him (also possible), because he didn't retaliate with his usual less than intelligent words. Katara, however, heard him and sent Zuko a disapproving glance before going back to her conversation with Toph. Zuko rolled his eyes, but said nothing more. Instead, he walked in silence next to his uncle, who was making observations with every few steps.

"Look at the careful designs on these houses," he'd note occasionally. Or, "My goodness, look at these divine plants!" Once, he even turned to his nephew and spoke loudly, "I'm sure there are many beautiful girls in Siyu, Zuko. Maybe you'd make a nice lady friend," before winking in over-exaggeration and throwing a pointed look in Katara's direction. This left Zuko in furious silence, and Katara trying and failing not to smirk. Sokka, however, snorted loudly.

"Yeah right, what kind of _lady_ would look twice at Zuko?" He asked scornfully.

_Watch it, _Katara inwardly growled, but didn't say anything. Instead, she watched Zuko's face for a reaction. To her great astonishment, he remained calm.

"You'd be surprised." He replied pleasantly, even managing a small smile. Katara had to bite her cheeks to stop herself from smiling at Sokka's puzzled look.

"He's right." Iroh chimed in, causing Zuko's smile to vanish quickly. "There was the nice girl who gave us a meal, that lovely young woman in Ba Sing Se, and of course Mai."

Katara couldn't help it - she burst out laughing. Zuko turned to glare at her, which only made her laugh more. However, when Sokka started to smirk, Katara's face became straight once more.

"Mai…the knife-throwing chick, right?" Sokka asked, a note of derision in his voice. "What'd you do to deserve _her_?"

"Probably the same thing you did to deserve Ty Lee." Katara snapped back before she could stop herself. There was a slight pause, in which Katara quickly flicked her eyes to Zuko to check if she hadn't offended him in any way. However, he was openly smirking and when he met Katara's eyes, he nodded in approval. Sokka however pouted like a child and sulked for the rest of the journey. Soon, the only ones even trying to make conversation were Iroh and Katara. Aang seemed lost in a world of his own, Toph was content with silence, and even the Earth King couldn't find anything to complain about. Jia, Akio and Hin were sorting out something with the Elders, and had left the house about half an hour before the rest of the group. Eventually, Katara gave up trying to talk, and studied her surroundings.

The streets of Siyu, although narrow, were quite beautiful. The pathways and roads were, bizarrely, made completely of stone. Katara contemplated this with wonder and confusion, her brow furrowed as she tried to think how this much stone could have been transported to the middle of the desert. Combine the stone with the wooden buildings and houses, and Siyu was one hell of a weird place.

"How can people live here?" Katara asked in a hushed voice, not wanting any of the townspeople to overhear. "It's so…_unnatural_."

"Says the girl who grew up on a block of ice," Zuko muttered, rolling his eyes.

"You - shush." Katara ordered, before turning back to Iroh. "I don't know…there's just something about this place that creeps me out."

"It's true that Siyu is unusual, but it has become a major trading place for Ba Sing Se. Weaponry and machine parts come from all over the Earth Kingdom - possibly at one point the world - to be assembled in Siyu, then transported to Ba Sing Se." Iroh said, sounding like a traveller's guide. Zuko looked at his uncle in disbelief, whilst the others looked fascinated.

"But that's just it, Siyu is in the middle of the desert," Katara pointed out, determined to get her point across. "Nothing can be transported here easily, surely."

"Plus, if Siyu really is this huge trading place, then wouldn't it be bigger?" Toph asked, keeping her eyes on the road even if she couldn't see it.

"Both your questions have the same answer," Iroh grinned, clearly liking that everyone depended on him for information about Siyu. "Ba Sing Se is one of the largest cities in the world, with many citizens. This means that the city needs lots of protection and machinery to keep it functioning. You take away the city's source of power and protection, and you take away the city's defence, thus leaving it vulnerable. If Siyu was a large city spread over many miles of desert, the Fire Nation and other enemies would know immediately where Ba Sing Se got its means of attack and defence from. By being a small town and situated in the middle of the desert, Siyu remains inconspicuous to enemies and therefore Ba Sing Se is safe." Iroh cleared his throat uncomfortably. "This of course, being before the…recent changes in Ba Sing Se."

There was a short pause, in which the group carried on walking in silence, contemplating what Iroh had just said. Finally, Toph spoke up.

"So, did you memorise that in a book or were you improvising?" She asked.

"A little of both," Iroh admitted sheepishly.

"It's equally impressive and strange." Toph informed him.

"A little like Siyu." Katara murmured, as the group came to a stop just outside a large stone building, the biggest they had seen in Siyu yet. Glancing around, Katara saw that this must be the town square. Or, rather, the town circle. The huge grey-coloured stone building stood impressively over its inferior companions, who were merely made out of wood and cowered considerably smaller. The wooden buildings surrounded them, composing the circular appearance of the town centre. The only space free from buildings was the road the gang had just travelled down. In the heart of the circular space stood a solitary oak tree, towering above them all, its lush leaves swaying in the slight breeze. The oak's trunk was thicker than Iroh's waist, and numerous chunky branches sprouted from the tree at various points. Surrounding the tree's base was a small stone wall, big enough to sit on, presumably to stop anyone from trespassing or damaging the tree.

The group stood in silence, all squinting up at the tree. A few of them frowned, a couple raised their eyebrows and Sokka just stared dumbly up.

"It's a tree." Aang said unnecessarily after a few moments. He was one of the ones frowning in confusion. "It's a tree, in the middle of a town made of wood and stone, in the desert."

Katara tilted her head to the side, as if the bizarre sight would make more sense when it was sideways. It didn't. There was now a sideways oak tree, which was even odder.

"Do you always stop in towns like this?" Zuko asked to no one in particular, his eyebrow raised at the tree in front of him.

"Usually not." Sokka replied, evidently not realizing that it had been Zuko who spoke. "But we've come across the occasional random place. I'm not remembering anywhere with an oak tree in the town circle, though."

"I'm having trouble recalling that too." Katara nodded, reluctantly tearing her eyes away from the symbol of everything that was strange about Siyu. "But shouldn't we get going?"

"Jia and Akio told us to wait until they had come out." Aang pointed out, also dragging his eyes away from the tree. "They probably needed to tell the Elders about our situation, or something."

"Or something," Toph repeated, then sighed uncharacteristically. "Don't you think the Elders would be happy to see the Avatar? What's with all the sneaking around?"

"Toph, they're hardly sneaking around." Katara told her, eyebrows raised at her young friend's suspicion. "They told us where they were going. Besides, wouldn't you be able to tell if they were lying?"

"I guess," Toph murmured, but there was still a niggling doubt of uncertainty in her mind. It was stupid, of course, because she _would_ be able to tell if anyone happened to be lying, and Jia and Akio were no different. One of the things that Toph liked best about herself (besides her sparkling wit and modesty) was that she was never unsure about anything. She wasn't invincible, but she was pretty damn unstoppable as far as blind twelve year old girls went. This was different though…she had no reason to distrust any resident of Siyu, so why had her stomach protested so violently against her breakfast the whole time the group was walking to this strange town centre? Barely avoiding throwing up had not put Toph in the best of moods, and her temper had only gotten sourer since.

"They're taking their sweet time." Sokka complained after a few more minutes of silence. The desert heat was growing as they reached midday, and soon they would have to take shelter in one of the cool buildings. Everyone thanked the Gods that they had their shoes on; the large stone flags beneath them would be boiling in the heat and undoubtedly would burn any skin that was foolish enough to make unprotected contact with them. Katara perched herself on the stone wall that surrounded the tree and looked up, examining the deep green leaves and thick branches. Suddenly, she shrieked and jumped off the wall, her eyes wide as she stared fearfully back at the tree.

"What is it?" Zuko asked, his voice a little sharper than intended due to worry.

"Spider-ants!" Katara shouted, shuddering as she pointed near to the top of the tree. "I could see them all crawling on the branches." She immediately stopped talking and snapped her eyes to her bare arms, brushing them in case any stray unseen spider-ants had crawled onto her. After quickly checking her head for any of the insects, Katara took another step back from the tree.

"I forgot you didn't like them," Sokka chortled, placing his boomerang back in its pouch at the side of his waist. He had drawn it out in a hurry after hearing his little sister's scream, thinking she was actually in danger.

"Don't _like_ them?" Zuko repeated scornfully. "She was less scared in front of a crew of bloodthirsty pirates."

"You wouldn't like those parasites either, if you'd woken up and found one crawling on your arm and it bit you." Katara unconsciously fingered a spot on her arm which, though now flawless, must have been where the spider-ant had bitten her. "What do they need all those legs for anyway? Seriously, that's just way too many legs for one furry little body." She shuddered again.

"I remember when that spider-ant bit you…" Aang said thoughtfully. "You wouldn't stop whingeing about it." He added mischievously.

"You should be grateful it didn't sting you as well." Zuko said shortly, back to his indifferent persona now he was sure that Katara was in no danger.

"Thanks." Katara replied, the iciness in her voice real. "Your concern is touching."

The regal doors to the town hall opened suddenly and swiftly in front of them at that moment. All heads turned in that direction to see Akio walking out, his expression grim and his mouth a thin line. At once, Katara's face changed from hopeful to wary. Around her, she could see her friends react the same way, apart from Toph, whose expression remained neutral. As he approached them, Akio shot Katara a brief, strained smile before speaking to the group at large.

"The Elders are not happy that you requested council with them, Aang." He said quietly, his beautiful hazel eyes looking steadily into the Avatar's. "They believe it is disrespectful that you assume they can be called upon so easily."

"What else are they going to do, sit around and count grains of sand?" Zuko cut in tersely.

Akio smiled weakly, but remained silent. Katara, who had found Zuko's comment quite funny, tried to keep her own face straight as she thought about the seriousness of the situation. If the Elders were not happy with Aang's simple request of a meeting, then how would they feel about him taking temporary residence in their town? Katara voiced this worry, but Akio merely shrugged.

"Jia and my father are still in there, trying to persuade the Elders to see reason." He gave a short laugh. "But they are not reasonable men. They are old, and stuck in their sexist ways."

"Aang isn't a woman, so I'm not sure how sexism comes into this," Katara pointed out, wishing that Akio would use simpler words.

"Aang isn't a woman…but you and Toph are." Akio said quietly, avoiding her eyes. "In the Elders' mind, it is ridiculous to allow a woman to even bend. Letting them teach bending to someone as important as the Avatar is disgraceful and dishonorable."

"_Dis_gusting, that's how I'd describe them." Toph said, her blind eyes narrowed and her fists clenched angrily. "Can any of them even bend? I thought not," she said, when Akio shook his head. "They're jealous that other people can bend when they can't. You say they're old…they sound as though they're acting like toddlers."

"Jia is allowed in because she can't bend, right?" Katara asked, her voice quiet and shaking with suppressed anger. Akio nodded again. "Do the Elders know that she can fight?"

"No, and please don't say anything about it either. The Elders would probably exile us from the town if they knew." Akio said, his eyes wide and imploring to Katara.

"Why?" Sokka asked, and for once his eyes were solemn, showing his genuine interest.

"They forbid any woman to fight, with bending or without it." Iroh murmured. Katara's furious eyes flew to him, but he looked away.

"You _knew _this?" She hissed, rage filling every fibre of her body, blinding her to reason. "You knew this and you didn't say anything?"

"It isn't his fault," Zuko said, in a tone that clearly said "drop it". But Katara would not drop it.

"How can you expect us to go to a town where not only are women banned from fighting, but they can't even bend?" She shouted through clenched teeth. Her usually serene eyes had narrowed and were blazing, scorching any one who dared to meet her glare.

"I'm with Katara," Toph said, nodding vigorously. Katara acknowledged that Toph didn't use any of her ridiculous nicknames for Katara, showing that she was serious. "Iroh, you could've mentioned this before. Like, before we even got here."

"Him mentioning it wouldn't have changed the rules," Zuko pointed out heatedly. "Besides, it was either come to Siyu or wander aimlessly until we die. Surely you girls can give up your bending for a few days?"

Sokka and Aang winced and sucked in air through their teeth, signalling to Zuko that he had gone too far. Katara's eyes had been reduced to slits, her glare aimed in Zuko's direction. He met her eyes and matched the intensity, his clenched fists mirroring hers.

"You probably shouldn't have said that, Prince Zuko." The Earth King noted, speaking for the first time. His words were ignored by everyone, however. Katara was beginning to bitterly regret not refilling her water pouch before leaving; Zuko's words had hurt her. He was a bender, so he should know how asking her to give up bending would be like asking her to give up breathing. She couldn't live without either, both were instinctual and asking her to forsake them was absurd. But there was something else that had caused her heart to sink. The way he had said "surely you _girls_" was what had caught Katara's attention.

_Does he really think of me as a girl? _Katara asked herself, before considering what she had just thought and rephrasing the question. _Does he not see me as an equal? Does he think that girls are weaker, and physically can't give up their bending, whereas boys can?_

"Calm down." She heard Iroh mutter into Zuko's ear. Sokka's hand rested on Katara's arm comfortingly, and she reluctantly broke eye contact with Zuko to turn to her bigger brother with a small smile.

"That was out of line, even for him." Sokka said, not bothering to keep his voice down. "Want me to go kick his ass?"

"No, thank you." Katara smiled, mentally adding _I can do that myself. _She turned to Iroh and bowed mechanically.

"I'm sorry. It was inappropriate of me to blame you." She said, although her eyes did not meet his. Iroh smiled and nodded, but Zuko kept silent so Katara, somewhat disgusted, turned to Akio. "Out of respect for your _Elders_" she spat the word out "I won't bend for the time we spend here."

"Me neither." Toph added gruffly, kicking her foot down so a stone flag rose slightly, then dropped back neatly. "Okay, it's out of my system."

"I'll go tell the Elders." Akio said, smiling sympathetically at Katara. She smiled back as best she could. Akio walked away, leaving the group in incredibly tense silence. No one spoke or moved. Everyone seemed to be avoiding eye contact with one another, making conversation impossible. Zuko cleared his throat and in the silence surrounding him, the noise seemed to echo. Everyone glanced up at him, Katara's sharp look daring him to say something. Zuko's innocent, slightly puzzled eyes showed that he hadn't actually wanted to say anything, but now felt pressured to. He cleared his throat quietly again and glanced at Katara.

"I'm sorry about what I said." He mumbled, and although his voice sounded unsure, his golden eyes looked straight at hers. "It was thoughtless and insensitive. I didn't mean to upset you. Or Toph," he added hurriedly, with a glance in the blind Earthbender's direction. Toph inclined her head to show that she had heard and accepted Zuko's apology. All eyes were now on Katara, who smiled uneasily.

"I guess that's the best apology I'm ever going to get from you, so I'll accept." She said, a teasing note now in her voice. Zuko, regaining his normal composure now that he wasn't apologizing, nodded coolly.

"You know, you don't _have _to accept his apology." Sokka pointed out to his little sister. Katara threw him an exasperated glance before rolling her eyes. Conversation flowed a little easier after this, but both Zuko and Katara kept silent. Occasionally their eyes would lock, they would smile and then look away. When the quiet creak of the wooden door announced Akio's return, all heads moved in his direction again.

"The Elders are ready for their audience." He said, looking a lot less tense than he did when they left. He was even smiling a little. "I know how sexist this sounds, but if Toph and Katara sit at the back and don't say anything in the meeting, it'd probably be for the best."

"Of course." Katara said through gritted teeth. "If it's for the best."

"Jia isn't allowed to speak either, don't worry," Akio assured her soothingly. "Father has to do all of the talking when he's in the town hall. But he's pretty high up in the importance ranking, so the Elders usually listen to him. Anyway," he said to the group at large, "the Elders don't like to be kept waiting."

"The Elders don't like a lot by the sounds of it." Zuko murmured in Katara's ear as he caught up with her. The others had already started walking, and Katara smiled at his comment. "Listen, I really am sorry about before." Zuko added, pulling away from Katara's ear and talking normally again.

"Gosh Zuko, two apologies in one day," Katara teased, her hand briefly squeezing his. "Careful, or I might start to think you're going soft."

"Never." Zuko promised, squeezing her hand back. Katara smiled as she felt the familiar warmth spread over her body at his touch. It gave her the confidence to walk through the large wooden doors being held open by someone on the other side, and regard the hall. To her surprise, it wasn't the fanciest hall she had ever seen. She had expected it to be pretentious like the Elders, but it was quite modest. Tall, almost unnoticeable, wooden beams held up the roof. The cool stone room was a welcomingly refreshing change from outside's heat, and Katara breathed in the crisp air deeply. As she stepped into the room, she noticed a piece of green carpeted floor that was slightly sunken into the ground, different from the stone that surrounded it. Jia and Hin were already on their knees in this area and gave fleeting smiles to the Avatar and his friends, before turning their gazes back to the carpet beneath them. Jia was knelt several paces behind her father towards the back of the carpet, Katara noticed with dismay. Akio nodded for the others to follow him, before stepping down onto the carpet and kneeling. Hesitantly, Aang and his friends did the same, Katara guiding Toph by the hand to where they were supposed to sit. With a heavy heart, Katara knelt next to Jia and watched as her male companions got priority seats. Just beyond her friends, she noticed for the first time, stood a platform that was raised from the stone floor. This made it even higher than the carpeted ground, forcing everyone to look up if they wanted to gaze upon the five empty stone seats which sat on the platform. Two gold and deep green drapes hung loosely from the roof above the platform, carrying the Earth Kingdom insignia. Katara raised her eyebrows at the formality of it all, but before she could vocalise her scorn, five figures strode imperiously onto the platform and sat down on their presumably allocated stone seat. The seats - which closely resembled thrones - must have been cold, something which Katara noticed with twisted satisfaction. The five people that had sat down were all male (_Of course, _Katara thought angrily), haughty and none looked a day under eighty. Each Elder looked the same, and it was only on closer inspection that one would be able to tell their aged, lined faces apart. However, Katara could only glance upon the Elders' faces for a moment; she mirrored Jia and Hin's acts of bowing. Seeing as they were already knelt down, Katara found the process of touching the floor with her forehead a pointless sign of respect, but did it anyway, all the while thinking mutinous thoughts. When she brought her head back up, her gaze flickered back to the Elders. The centre Elder looked the oldest; his long hair pure white and flowing unchecked past his shoulders, spilling onto his green and brown robes. The only part that looked as though it had been paid attention to was the strands of hair that would normally frame a person's face. But in this instance, it had been tied back and would probably be in a tight knot at the back of his head. Before Katara could see anymore, the oldest Elder's eyes met hers.

"Women are not permitted to look upon us!" He roared furiously, his voice powerful compared to his frail-looking body. Katara jumped and her eyes quickly flew down to the carpet beneath her, heat rising and color flooding her face in a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "Now, Avatar, please stand." the Elder continued in a calmer tone, "You requested our presence?"

"I did." Aang's voice rang out, sounding confident. Katara heard a shuffling noise as he stood up. "I wish to know the extent to the restrictions you've placed on this town." He sounded so full of authority that Katara felt a maternal burst of pride and affection for her young friend.

"I see…" The Elder said, before falling silent.

"And why do you wish to know this, Avatar?" Another Elder rasped, sounding as though something had crawled down his throat and died. "We have permitted you entrance and sanctuary in our town already."

"For which we are grateful," Aang was quick to say, "but we would not wish to accidentally break any rules during our stay here."

There was a murmuring of the Elders, and Katara took this chance to look swiftly up. The two Elders on either side of the Elder in the centre had leant in so they could hear their leader's thoughts on the matter. Before she could get caught again, Katara looked back down. She was already sick of the carpet, having identified everything interesting in the first two seconds of watching it.

"Our rules are few, but fair." An unidentified Elder said eventually. Katara silently scoffed at this, but did not dare say anything out loud. "You have already been informed on our rules about women." His voice took a sneering tone on, and Katara immediately hated him for it. "You should be pleased that we allowed your female companions in on this meeting, usually all women are forbidden from this hall."

"Thank you." Aang muttered, and Katara could tell he had forced the words out grudgingly.

"Other rules are standard: no stealing, no fighting, and no disrespectful behaviour to seniors. And I'm afraid you will be unable to leave Siyu until after our next delivery of goods." The lead Elder was speaking again, but he did not sound sorry at all. In fact, he sounded to be reciting a list in a bored voice. Katara felt panic clutch at her chest. _The next delivery? When would that be?_ Aang voiced this question, trying to keep his voice casual.

"Three days." The lead Elder replied, and Katara breathed easy again. Three days was not too long to stay in one place, and there should be no real problems staying for that amount of time.

"May I ask why we cannot leave until then?" Aang asked, sounding as relieved as Katara felt.

"We don't want any unwanted attention being attracted to our town before a major shipment, in case we are attacked." A new voice croaked.

"We will respect your wishes." Aang said, and as Katara looked up from underneath her eyelids, she could see him bow.

"Will that be all?" The lead Elder asked, a bite of impatience now in his voice. "We have important business to attend to."

Katara, remembering Zuko's 'counting sand' comment, bit her cheeks and tried not to laugh.

"That will be all," Aang confirmed. "Thank you for your time."

Katara heard a few creaks as the Elders stood up and walked away. Beside her, Jia let out a sigh and stood up. The others, including Katara, followed her example and stretched their legs.

"Aang, I am so proud of you." Katara smiled as she walked up to Aang and hugged him.

"I wanted to say something about the stupid 'no girls' rule, but I didn't want to get us into trouble." Aang murmured, returning Katara's hug. "I'm sorry I didn't stick up for you and Toph."

"You did the right thing," Katara assured her young friend. "They're that far up their own asses they probably would've sentenced you to death or something if you spoke up."

"I narrowly escaped being boiled in oil once, I'm not going to risk it again." Aang said, smiling a little. Sokka walked over to his sister and friend, and yawned widely.

"Lovely." Katara frowned when Sokka didn't cover his mouth.

"I am, aren't I?" Sokka grinned, making Katara and Aang laugh. Their conversation and jokes continued for another minute, none of the three aware that Zuko was watching them. Iroh was talking to him, but he wasn't listening. He was watching Katara, loving the way she smiled and laughed, the way she was so at ease around her brother and the Avatar. The way she so obviously loved them radiated from her face, and it made Zuko jealous, both of her family and the fact that she loved someone other than him, even if her love for the Avatar and her brother was just platonic. He felt a pang as he realized that he would never be a part of her family at the rate things were going now. As Katara caught his eye, smiled then went back to her conversation, Zuko looked away. Iroh, seemingly getting the message that his nephew wanted to be left alone, had started talking to Hin and Akio. Jia however walked up to Zuko and began talking quietly to him.

"You don't feel like you belong with them, do you?" She asked gently. Zuko was surprised at her words, but kept his face impassive. "It's written all over your face. You're an outcast. You haven't been accepted your entire life, and when you finally found someone who loves you for who you are, she won't tell anyone about the two of you. It must hurt."

Zuko looked down sideways at Jia, who was only a little shorter than he was. He regarded her, sighed, and then looked back to the laughing Katara.

"It does."

"It doesn't have to be that way." Jia said lightly. "You can tell everyone about the two of you."

"No…I can't." Zuko shook his head sadly. Jia shrugged and walked away, leaving Zuko lost in thought. After awhile, the others began to trail out of the hall.

"Are you coming?" Katara called back. Zuko looked around and realized that he was the only one left. Stepping out of the carpeted area, Zuko began to slowly walk towards Katara. With each step he took, one particular word that Jia had said echoed in his head.

…_outcast…_

Then another of her phrases popped into his mind.

"_It doesn't have to be that way."_

As he reached Katara, Zuko wrapped his arm around her shoulder and hugged her tightly to his chest.

"I love you." He murmured in her ear, making her blush and giggle like a schoolgirl.

"I love you too." She smiled up at him, for once not making a scene about his open sign of affection.

"Hey, lovebirds!" Akio called loudly, making the couple jump apart. "Hurry up, you're slowing the rest of us down!"

Katara raced ahead to join her brother and the Avatar, leaving Zuko to shut the hall door.

"Sokka, don't worry. Zuko and I are _not _lovebirds." He heard Katara assure her brother, and the Fire Prince couldn't help smiling because nothing was further from the truth.

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_**A/N:**_

_**Damn, I did not know how to end this chapter. Hope this was okay and didn't go on too much. I've got loads of coursework already (and I've not even been back at school for a full week!) so my updates will be kind of erratic for the next few weeks. But fear not! As long as you want updates, updates will appear :D**_

_**Thank you so much to my reviewers, and thank you to **_Ogro _**for pointing out a mistake in the last chapter. I'm still trying to think of a way to justify it, and as soon as I think of something I'll let you know XD**_

_**Please review, and hope you all have a good week!**_

_**- Momo **_


	7. Twists And Turns

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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Strolling through the streets of Siyu, Katara was surprised at the lack of life she saw. She could not see one child run carefree down the stone paths, chasing after a ball or playing games with other children. There were a few people milling around what looked like a marketplace, but while they shouted out greetings to Jia, Akio and Hin, they averted their eyes from the Avatar and his friends.

"We haven't got anything in for dinner!" Hin exclaimed as soon as he saw the marketplace. Katara, who had jumped when Hin had shouted, regained herself quickly and stepped to the front of the now stationary group.

"I could get some ingredients for you," she offered to Hin, smiling. "I know a few recipes that wouldn't be too difficult to make, and they only require simple herbs and some meat."

"We could even pick up something for Aang; that marketplace has everything." Akio agreed, before turning to Katara sheepishly. "That is, if it'd be okay that I accompany you."

"Of course it's okay," Katara said, as this should have been obvious. Then she realized that Akio was probably thinking of what Zuko would say. Risking a quick glance at him, Zuko didn't seem too impressed that Katara would be spending her time with someone else, but couldn't say much at that point, as Jia suddenly asked him if he would help her with some errands she had to run. The rest of the group looked as surprised as Zuko, and when he nodded his acceptance, Katara saw Aang and Sokka exchange dubious looks and she felt the urge to shout at them.

"Is it alright if we go back to the inn first to freshen up?" Jia asked her father, who nodded silently, apparently distracted by a market stall selling shiny things. Jia smiled her beautiful smile (Katara forced herself to ignore the sudden stab of jealously) and began to walk back in the direction of the inn. The bright sun caught Jia's hair, making it shine with perfection.

_Perfection…_Katara thought sadly, _that's the only word to describe her._

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After quickly washing, re-doing her hair and checking her reflection, Katara was ready to go. Standing around for what had seemed like hours outside the town hall had made Katara feel unsanitary, particularly with spider-ants lurking just inches above her head. The thought of the scuttling creatures made Katara shudder as she closed the door to her and Toph's room. Toph, as well as the rest of the group, were seated downstairs. She could hear them shouting as she descended the stairs, their voices growing louder. Sokka and Zuko seemed to be having some sort of argument (_so what else is new? _Katara thought, rolling her eyes) while the others were trying to placate them. Only when Katara reached the bottom step did she hear what the argument was about.

"I'm just saying, look at my sister that way again and I'll gouge out your eyes while you sleep." Sokka growled, and Katara saw him clutch the pouch he kept his boomerang in at the side of his waist. The others hadn't noticed her standing there yet, which suited her fine. With a wry smile, she stood and listened to the argument, keen to see how Zuko would react.

"You have nothing to worry about," came Zuko's cold voice. "I wouldn't look twice at a filthy water peasant like that."

The smile quickly dropped from Katara's face at Zuko's words. _Filthy water peasant…_even if he had only wanted to throw Sokka off the scent, there was no need for such words as that. It was a downright insult. All the fears that Zuko did not see her as an equal came flooding back, and she felt herself swaying slightly. She must've made a noise because a moment later all faces turned to hers. Zuko's eyes widened immediately as he realized she had stood there and heard him insult her.

"I didn't mean-" He started quickly, but Katara averted her eyes to Akio, who stood up.

"Ready to go?" She asked him, in a voice that she was trying to hard to control and keep steady even though her eyes were shining with pain. He nodded wordlessly and followed her as she crossed the room swiftly. Katara did not look at Zuko as she passed, nor did he try to stop her from going. Her eyes threatening to spill the moisture glistening within them, Katara flung open the front door and walked out without checking to see if Akio was behind her. As soon as she had crossed the threshold, a shining translucent tear ran down her tan cheek. Shutting the door quietly behind her, Akio gently patted her shoulder. Feeling a "let's give Zuko the benefit of the doubt" lecture coming on, Katara shrugged her shoulder away.

"He had no right to say those things." She said, half-snarling, half-whispering.

"I know," Akio murmured, walking ahead of her and softly taking her arm. "But let's just focus on us right now."

Katara looked at him dumbly, confused by what he had just said.

"We're going to the market, right?" Akio elaborated, looking at Katara as though she were mentally impaired.

_I probably am, _she thought sadly, and allowed Akio to guide her down the road that led towards the marketplace.

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"We should probably get going too," Jia said quietly after a few moments. All the people in front of her were glaring daggers at Prince Zuko, and she felt genuinely sorry for him. How would he have known that Katara was standing just feet away when he made that remark? Besides, if Katara had stayed a little longer instead of flouncing out, she would've seen that Zuko had only said what he had said in order to ensure that no one would guess about their illicit relationship. Even the poor boy's uncle was frowning in disapproval at his nephew, while Katara's brother looked ready to slit the Prince's throat.

"These errands won't run themselves," Jia gently reminded Zuko, hinting that it would probably be for the best if they left. Another awkward tense second passed, with all narrowed eyes on Zuko. He stood up silently and stormed out, not bothering to shut the door quietly. Jia sighed lightly and walked after him. As she re-opened the door, Zuko heard the Avatar murmur something about "idiotic Firebender". Snarling, Zuko stomped off in the first direction he could think of: straight ahead. His Earth Kingdom shoes slamming onto the ground caused dust to shoot up, only to settle again moments later. Part of him wanted to find Katara and explain to her that he hadn't meant what he had said, but another, much larger part, wanted to shake her for being so stupid. Deciding to do neither of these, Zuko just carried on marching to wherever he was going until he found somewhere quiet to sulk. The sun was beating down harshly on his back, his refugee clothes sticking to him uncomfortably. He searched in vain for some shade, only to find every path blocked by houses. Finally, after what seemed like hours, he came across a small alleyway. Two children were playing happily in the shade, kicking a small ball to one another. With one glare from Zuko however, they were gone quicker than Sokka when he smelled breakfast cooking, leaving their ball behind.

_I don't get girls, _Zuko thought angrily. _She doesn't want me to tell anyone about us, but gets all offended when I deny being attracted to her! _Without thinking, he viciously lashed out at the children's ball, kicking it so hard that it slammed into the opposite wall and rebounded. Zuko only just had time to dodge it before it smacked into the wall he had just been leaning against. Cursing, Zuko glared down at the ball, focusing all his energy into it. As it erupted into flames, he wasn't that surprised. He just watched as fire licked the ball, slowly burning it into nothing more than a sliver on the ground.

"You killed my ball!" An accusing voice shouted somewhere to Zuko's right. He looked unconcernedly towards the mouth of the alley to where a young girl stood, her hands on her hips, clearly outraged. Zuko stood up a little straighter when he saw how small the girl was, and gave her a disapproving once-over. She couldn't have been older than five or six, her tiny green clothes scuffed and torn slightly. Her typically Earth Kingdom brunette hair was plaited into braids either side of her slim, angry face. Zuko's eyebrow rose as he met the girl's eyes once more.

"This is _your _ball?" He asked sceptically.

"It _was_." The girl snapped back, her moss-coloured eyes narrowing. Zuko smiled slightly at how forward the girl was at such a young age. _She'll learn…_he thought sadly.

"I'm very sorry about…uh…'killing' your ball. If you want, I can replace it," He offered, trying to keep a straight face. The girl's eyes immediately returned to normal and her stance became less offensive. She even smiled, showing a gap where a new tooth would soon grow.

"Really?" She asked, her eyes sparkling with hope.

"Of course," Zuko frowned, unsure of why she would find any reason to doubt him.

The young girl's smile grew wider and she walked over the Zuko, careful to avoid the mess that had once been her ball. She stuck out a small, grubby hand.

"I'm Sarava," she beamed up at Zuko. Gently taking her hand, Zuko shook it then let go.

"I'm Prin…I'm Zuko." He said, correcting his sentence before he could introduce himself as a member of the family currently taking over the world. Even at such a young age, it probably wouldn't go down well with the girl in front of him.

"You're the Fire Nation Prince, aren't you?" Sarava asked, her eyes wide once more.

_I don't know why I bother trying to deny it, _Zuko inwardly growled. _The scar is proof enough._ Instead of speaking his thoughts, he merely nodded, wary of what reaction he would receive. However, Sarava shrugged off this new information.

"It must be nice to be a prince." She mused, taking a few steps back and leaning against the wall opposite to Zuko. "I've always wanted to be a princess…like in the stories Daddy told me before he went away."

_It depends on which princess you want to be…somehow I don't think Azula is the best role model for impressionable young girls, _Zuko thought disapprovingly. But he focused on Sarava's last words and his forehead creased.

"Where did your Daddy go?" He asked, confused. There _was _nowhere to go in this town, only desert stretched for miles and miles in every direction around it.

"The Spirit World." Sarava said nonchalantly. "Mommy said it's a really nice place where he's happy, but I miss him and I want to go and see him. I don't know how to get there though…" She trailed off thoughtfully and Zuko immediately felt a pang of pity for the child. Sarava obviously had no idea that her father was dead, being too young to comprehend what the Spirit World was.

"Do you know how to get there?" She asked, shaking Zuko out of his thoughts.

_I have a fair few ideas, _Zuko thought, but did not dare to say anything in case it tipped off to the girl that her father had died.

"No, I'm sorry." He said, shaking his head. "But I'm sure your Daddy misses you too."

"He used to play ball with me, even though the Elders don't like me playing." Sarava said, smiling happily at the memory.

"Why not?" Zuko asked, confused once more.

"I think it's because I'm a girl." Sarava said, frowning.

_Sounds like the Elders, _Zuko thought angrily.

"But Daddy bought me the ball because no one else would give me one." Sarava continued, disregarding the tatters at her feet of what used to be her precious ball.

Again, Zuko felt a pang of guilt. _This just gets worse and worse, _he inwardly sighed.

"I'll buy you a new one." He promised, and then paused contemplatively. "You shouldn't let the Elders tell you what you can and can't do. I have two friends who are girls, and they've never let anyone tell them what to do," Zuko said, although he was silently thinking angrily, _two stubborn girls, one so stubborn that she can't make up her damn mind about what or who she wants._

"Really?" Sarava asked, her eyes wide once again with awe and surprise.

"Really." Zuko confirmed. "And do you know what?"

"What?"

"They're both benders almost as powerful as me." He refused to say, even to a young girl, that Katara could beat him in anything. However, Sarava smiled slyly.

"I bet they're more powerful than you. Girls are better than boys."

"Are not." Zuko replied instinctively, before closing his eyes momentarily in shame. He had _not _just given that retort. "We're all as powerful as each other." He reasoned. But the child was not accepting this either.

"Why don't you just have a fight to see who's stronger?"

_Because we've tried that and it really doesn't solve anything, _Zuko thought, briefly remembering the fights against Katara in the North Pole and Ba Sing Se.

"Because I don't want to hurt her," Zuko replied. "Them." He hastily corrected himself. "I don't want to hurt _them_."

"Who's 'her' "? Sarava asked immediately, ignoring Zuko's correction. "Are you talking about the girls that you're staying with, the Waterbender and the Earthbender?"

"Yes," Zuko nodded, not particularly wishing to have this conversation with a young girl.

"Which one don't you want to hurt?" Sarava pressed.

"I don't want to hurt either of them! Why are we having this conversation?" Zuko snapped angrily. Sarava shrank back into the wall, her eyes shining with fear.

_What the hell is wrong with me? _Zuko thought wearily, rubbing his temples.

"I'm really sorry," He said, crouching down to the girl's level. "I didn't mean to yell."

Sarava slowly leant forward again. "It's okay." She mumbled. "Are you mad about something?"

"Yeah," Zuko admitted, "but it isn't anything to do with you, I promise."

"Then what is it about?" Sarava asked, curious once more now that her fear had gone.

"Have you ever had a secret that you wanted to tell everybody, but you couldn't? A secret that you want everyone to know about, because you're not ashamed of it, but that you can't tell them because the other person involved in the secret doesn't want anyone else to know?"

Sarava stared at him blankly, and Zuko felt like the world's biggest idiot.

"Of course not, you're a five year old." He muttered, standing up straight and resuming his casual leaning position against the wall.

"I'm five and a half!" Sarava corrected him firmly. "And I think that if the secret makes everyone happy then you should tell them."

"See, that's what I've been saying." Zuko nodded. "But no one listens to me."

"Are you talking about the Water Tribe girl?" Sarava asked, cocking her head to the side in interest.

_This child is wise beyond her years, _Zuko decided as he deliberated what to tell the girl. Finally, he nodded.

"Promise not to tell?" He asked, aware that this was the sort of thing children said to one another.

"Promise." Sarava smiled. "I think she's pretty."

_Kind of an understatement, but yeah, _Zuko thought, his heart sinking as he realized that he might have thrown his chance with Katara away over some stupid words.

"She's better than the daughter of the man who runs the inn, anyway." Sarava said, her nose suddenly crinkling in dislike. "Mommy said I had to keep away from her."

Zuko stood up straight against the wall. "Why?" He asked, an intrigued note appearing in his voice.

"Because when Akio was a child he stole an apple from her family's market stall." Jia said, stepping into the alley. Zuko and Sarava snapped their gazes to where Jia stood, smiling slightly. Sarava threw a fearful glance at Zuko then ran off, her little legs carrying her past Jia and out of sight.

"Nice timing." Zuko said, turning his body to face the newcomer.

"Not really," Jia shrugged, looking sheepish. "I was kind of eavesdropping."

Zuko frowned, and opened his mouth but Jia cut him off.

"I found the alley just in time to hear you explain the complexities of the secrets in your relationship to a young girl." She said, smirking a little. "Just a head's up, but you may want to choose a lighter topic of conversation for your next encounter with a five year old."

"She's five and a half." Zuko corrected, finding nothing else to say. Jia laughed, and walked deeper into the alley, taking Zuko's arm and practically dragging him away.

"Come on, I spent precious errand-running time looking for you." She said, walking him out into the bright daylight. Zuko winced at the change from the dark alley, but otherwise made no other movement. Noticing this, Jia sighed and turned around to face him.

"Please?" She asked, her wide emerald eyes beseeching. Zuko also sighed heavily, then began walking again.

"Thank you." Jia smiled radiantly and took his arm. "Oh, and next time you want to sulk, can you do it in an easier place to find?"

"I wasn't sulking." Zuko muttered. _I got interrupted before I could start._

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"Are you sure you can make a soup with just these ingredients?" Akio asked doubtfully, nodding to the selection of meat and vegetables gathered in the basket in his arms.

"I'm sure," Katara smiled. "I could make a soup with _half_ of these ingredients. I'd forgotten how easy it was to get food when you lived near a market. Sokka, Aang and I usually had to eat whatever was around in the early days…including berries and nuts that might have actually been rocks." She added somewhat disapprovingly, although the memory made her smile even more.

"Were they nuts or rocks?" Akio asked, continuing walking down the market street. People called out various greetings to him, and he acknowledged them every so often with a smile or a nod, before turning his attention back to Katara.

"We never found out," Katara admitted. "We ran into an Earthbender and…well, it's a really long story."

"Damn." Akio frowned, looking disappointed. "That mystery is going to keep me awake all night now."

Katara laughed. "If it makes you feel any better, the soup that we had for breakfast this morning was the best thing I'd eaten in a long time."

"Disregarding the fact that you recently spent a week in a dungeon and then another in the desert, I'll take that as a compliment!" He grinned, causing Katara to laugh again.

"Have you ever been out of Siyu?" She asked suddenly, catching sight of the watchtowers in the distance.

"Once." Akio said quietly. "For my mother's burial."

"I'm so sorry," Katara said immediately, her eyes widening. "I didn't-"

"It's okay." Akio smiled faintly. "You didn't know."

The mood that had previously been light and jovial had suddenly turned awkward. Akio walked slightly in front of Katara to lead where they were going, but to her surprise it wasn't back to the inn. After five minutes of heading down a dusty road she had not encountered before, she finally asked where they were going.

"You'll see." Akio promised mysteriously.

_I hate when guys do that, _Katara thought, annoyed. _"You'll see" is not an answer! _However, she kept silent and allowed Akio to guide her to wherever it was they were going. She would offer to take the basket of ingredients, which must be heavy, but Akio might take offence at the suggestion that he wasn't strong enough to carry some vegetables.

_No, _Katara thought, _only Zuko would be stubborn enough to think like that._

She sighed as she thought of Zuko and the things he had said. They were harsh and unnecessary…but moreover, they had hurt. Akio looked up at her sigh.

"Something the matter?" He asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"I'm just tired." She replied, giving a small smile and shaking her head.

"Don't worry, we're nearly there," Akio said, smiling back.

"Promise?" Katara asked shrewdly, narrowing her eyes in jest.

"Yes. Turn down this alley - don't worry, it's only a rat," he added as Katara shrieked at something scurrying past her feet, "now turn right and…" he stopped talking, allowing the view to speak for itself. Katara took an intake of breath as she looked around herself. The only buildings in sight were the ones that created the alleyway she and Akio had just passed through, and two more on either side of them, creating a semi-circle. The stone slabs of the town ended a few feet in front of her to gradually give way to the endless stretch of sandy desert. Sprays of golden sand had scattered themselves onto the stone slabs, so it was hard to tell where Siyu ended and the desert began. About ten buckets filled to the brim with shimmering water stood against the side walls around them. Katara, speechless, turned to Akio, who stood smiling at her reaction.

"This is one of the prohibited areas," he said in way of explanation. Katara nodded, her gaze finding its way back to the sand that stretched out in front of her. The inexplicable freedom she felt simply by being here after the oppressiveness of Siyu was overpowering. She heard Akio carefully set down the basket of ingredients and walk quietly up beside her.

"I put out some buckets of water so you could practice your Waterbending in peace. It must be really frustrating not being able to do something that's natural to you."

Katara nodded, still amazed. A light breeze blew onto her face, playfully teasing the strands of hair that she hadn't managed to tie into her braid. She felt Akio's hand softly tuck the stray hair behind her ears, his fingers lingering on the side of her face for a little longer than Katara was comfortable with. Smiling uneasily, she turned her head away, pretending to look to the side of her.

"So, if this area is off-limits then how did you get here?" She asked, hoping to distract him from her brush-off.

"I had to kill a man to gain access." Akio muttered, his voice dark. Katara jerked her head up in shock, but Akio burst out laughing.

"Katara, I'm kidding, don't look so worried." He consoled, still grinning. Katara managed a small smile, but her heart still thumped in her chest.

"I do have a wide span of influence though…Jia and I can be very _persuasive _when we want to be," Akio told her, his eyes straying to the desert in front of him.

"The way you two look, I'm not surprised." Katara said before she could stop herself. Embarrassed at her words, she blushed and looked away from Akio's amused glance.

"You know, you're not hideous looking yourself," Akio mused lightly. Katara blushed deeper, and she had the sinking feeling that Akio wished to be more than friends.

"That's what Zuko thinks, but I'm not so sure," Katara laughed nervously, including Zuko's name so that Akio would remember that she was with already someone. Even if they _were_ kind of going through a rough patch.

"It seems to be the popular theory," Akio agreed, before turning his back and walking away. Katara watched as he picked up the basket and walked to the mouth of the alley.

"You can stay here if you want, but I'm going to head back. We should've been back awhile ago and I don't want anyone getting worried."

"I'm coming with you," Katara said immediately. "I'd probably only end up getting lost out here if you left…either that or I wouldn't be able to tear myself away from the scenery."

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Akio asked, looking directly at her in a way that made Katara shiver for some reason.

"'With beauty comes dark thoughts'" Katara quoted from a poem she remembered reading somewhere. "It may look breathtaking but get on the wrong side of it and it could cause you serious harm."

There was a short pause, in which Akio's emerald eyes seemed to pierce her own.

"Yep, sand is a menace." Akio said, before walking down the alley. Katara took a last glance at the sun quickly beginning to sink into the sand behind her and took hesitant steps towards the alley. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to be realistic.

_You're looking to deep into this, _she told herself sternly. _He's only being friendly…he offered you and your friends hospitality and you repay him by treating him with suspicion?_

With this rationalization, Katara hurried after Akio just as the sun disappeared and night dawned upon Siyu.

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"We've delivered packages to four elderly people, relayed messages to five different families and taken notes for tomorrow's errands…are we done yet?" Zuko asked. He was bored; there was no question about it. The sun was starting to set and dinner would soon be starting back at the inn. Katara would be there…he would get his chance to apologize in front of everyone.

"Don't worry; I've just got one more mission." Jia said, smiling radiantly.

"Mission?" Zuko repeated doubtfully. "I think that sounds more serious than you intended it to."

"Perhaps," Jia shrugged. "But it's something I feel strongly about and something that I think will be difficult to accomplish."

"It isn't to make Sokka shut up by any chance, is it?" Zuko asked.

"It's to make you see sense." Jia corrected.

_They're both as impossible as each other, then, _Zuko concluded, before stopping in his tracks. "Wait, what?"

Jia however remained walking down the main road that lead back to the inn, smiling. Zuko frowned and hurried after the girl.

"I see sense. Sense sees me. There really is no issue on the whole 'sense' thing." He told her quickly. Jia's eyebrows rose as she stopped walking and regarded him.

"The only thing you fail to see sense clearly in is your relationship with Katara." She said, all traces of a smile gone from her serious face. "I want to help you see it clearly so you don't lose her forever."

"I…" Zuko started, and then shook his head. "I - we - don't need help." Jia looked at him sadly. She stepped off the road and into a small inlet set into a building, gesturing for him to follow. Zuko obliged, mulling over what Jia had just said.

"Girls are complex," Jia started when she was sure that they couldn't be overheard. Zuko snorted in a sarcastic "you don't say" manner, which Jia pointedly ignored. "Did you see Katara's face after she overheard you dismissing your relationship?"

"She looked pissed off," Zuko recalled.

"She looked hurt." Jia corrected patiently, shaking her head.

"I don't blame her…I shouldn't have said those things." Zuko sighed heavily.

"It wasn't the words that hurt her the most. It was you denying your relationship with her." Jia said softly. Zuko looked at her, confused.

"She's told me time after time that she doesn't want anyone else to know about us," Zuko said with deliberate slowness, so that Jia would get the message. "I thought she'd be happy that I was rejecting the idea of us."

"You have to read between the lines, Zuko." Jia told him.

"I can't even read the lines to begin with!" Zuko said, starting to get annoyed. Why couldn't Jia just say what she meant? _Oh, that's right, because she's a girl._

"Katara told you that she didn't want to tell Sokka and Aang about the two of you because she thinks that that's how she should act. She's anticipated their reactions before telling them, and it's made her unsure as to whether or not they should know."

"Slow down. Speak my language." Zuko said, holding up a hand for him to stop talking.

"How you got Katara to fall in love with you, I will never know." Jia muttered.

"Well that makes two of us." Zuko said, his annoyance reaching its peak. "Now are you going to stand here talking in code all night or are you going to tell me something useful?"

Jia sighed, long and loud. "Katara wants everyone to know about you and her. She fell in love with the strong, confident Zuko, not the Zuko who knows what he wants but lets it slip away. The more you deny your relationship, the more she questions it. I've seen it in her eyes; she's worried that you don't care about her. "

"But that's ridiculous!" Zuko exploded. "I love her more than I've ever loved anyone…I'd die for her!"

"But what is love without courage?" Jia asked, quietly and sadly. "You need to show her that you're not ashamed to be with her, that you want to tell everyone about you two."

Zuko mulled over Jia's words. He was so confused that what she said was starting to make sense. Repeatedly telling Zuko not to do something was actually drilling it into his head that she wanted it done. Reverse psychology, although complicated, was effective. Katara's brother and the Avatar wouldn't be mad at Katara, but they would be furious with Zuko. _And Katara must know that…_Zuko thought. _If I tell the Avatar and Sokka that I'm in love with Katara, then it shows how willing I am to go through pain just to be with her…_

"I think I understand." Zuko said slowly, after minutes in silence. Darkness was beginning to descend around them, but Zuko ignored it. The sun's abandonment of the world would not deter him from his train of thought. "If I don't tell people about Katara and me, then Katara will think that I don't care about her, which is the last thing I want her to think."

"Right." Jia encouraged. "So…"

"I need to tell everyone about the two of us." Zuko concluded, a smile spreading over his face at the thought. "I'll do it at dinner. Let's head back."

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_**A/N:**_

_**Only someone like Zuko could come to that conclusion. Will he chicken out…or will he go through with it? One thing's for sure, I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter, lol. **_

_**My computer crashed last night and lost all of my documents, including my fanfic. Luckily, I had saved all important things onto my pen drive, but it was still upsetting because I had a lot of things that were personal, like pictures, that I've now lost. Add that onto the week I've just had, and I'm not a happy bunny. Today was a little better…me and Rob (my best friend) met Amber Benson (Tara from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and got her autograph and pictures…so that was nice (:**_

_**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, please review this chapter and tell me what you thought.**_

_**THREE MORE DAYS UNTIL SEASON THREE:D squee!**_

_**Have a good week,**_

_**- Momo**_


	8. Light And Shadows

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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As soon as he walked through the door and saw Katara, Zuko knew he had made the right decision. All he wanted to do was make her happy, and he would go through any amount of pain and ridicule in order to make that happen. Katara's eyes lifted to meet his for a split second, before hastily dropping again.

_That__'__s okay, she__'__s bound to be a little upset, _Zuko reassured himself. To show that he regretted his earlier words, he cleared his throat loudly. All of the Avatar's friends, seated on small cushions on the floor, looked up at him. Sokka and the Avatar had the same deeply mistrustful look in their eyes, which knocked Zuko's confidence somewhat. Nevertheless, he met their eyes steadily before taking a few steps in Katara's direction.

"Katara?"

She looked up unwillingly, too polite to ignore a direct attempt at conversation. Or, in this case, an apology. It pained Zuko to see that her sapphire eyes bore ill-masked hurt as she regarded him.

"I'm really sorry for what I said before," Zuko started, aware that this was the most times he had ever apologized to one person. "It was rude and insulting and I didn't mean it."

"Then why did you say it?" Katara asked, her soft voice matching her sad eyes.

"I don't know," Zuko admitted. "I suppose I was thrown by what your brother said. Not thrown in a bad way, because you're very pretty. Not very pretty in the way that I would notice, of course, but pretty in the way that-"

Sokka cleared his throat loudly and angrily. "Are you apologising or are you digging yourself a deeper grave?"

_You think this is me digging myself a grave? _Zuko thought contemptuously. _Just wait and hear what I have to say at dinner. _It took all his self-restraint not to tell Sokka that he was in love with the idiot's sister right there and then, but he was aware that it might look to Katara as though Zuko was only telling her brother to get back at him. Instead, Zuko swallowed back what he was going to say and turned to Katara again, his eyes imploring.

"I'm sorry." He said, his voice so sincere and genuine that it almost embarrassed him to hear it coming from his mouth.

"I forgive you." Katara said, her eyes locking with his. There was a moment of silence in which the young couple simply looked at each other, their eyes saying what words could not.

"You know, I meant what I said before about gouging your eyes out," Sokka growled to Zuko, interrupting the moment. Katara looked at her brother disparagingly, evidently as unimpressed as Zuko was that he had interrupted.

"I can easily cut you off from any food supplies we have here," Katara reminded her brother sweetly. In a conspiratorial whisper, she added to the others, "I'm well in the management."

The rest of the group, including Iroh, Toph, Jia and Akio, all laughed. Sokka narrowed his eyes at his little sister, but Katara knew that he was only joking now. Another argument had been avoided…for now.

_If things carry on like this, I__'__ll suggest to Zuko that we start telling people we__'__re together, _Katara mused. It was unfair and impractical to make Zuko keep quiet about it forever, she knew that. Still, timing was crucial when announcing something as big as this to this to people who felt as strongly as Aang and Sokka felt about Zuko, and Katara felt that the timing wasn't quite right yet. When her name was mentioned she looked up, having been too lost in her thoughts to hear any of the conversation around her. Jia was looking at her expectantly, and Katara realized that it had been she who had just spoken.

"Sorry, what?" Katara asked, when it became clear that she wouldn't be able to guess what Jia had just said.

"Head in the clouds much?" Toph asked sarcastically, and color rose in Katara's face.

"I asked if you would help me prepare dinner," Jia repeated, not looking at all bothered that Katara hadn't been listening to her. In fact, she was smiling in a knowing sort of way that admittedly freaked Katara out a little.

"Oh, sure I will," Katara replied, smiling uneasily back. Akio had placed the basket of ingredients down at the side of the over-stuffed cushion he was seated on, and reached down to get them, silently passing them to Katara. His penetrating emerald eyes locked coldly with hers, causing Katara to hold back a shiver. After a moment, he looked away disinterestedly, leaving her wondering if she had imagined it all. Shaking the feeling off, she stood up and followed Jia, carrying the wooden basket down the corridor and to the small, dark kitchen.

"Hold on a second," Jia murmured, before striking up a match and lighting a lantern over their heads. "Ah, that's better."

The new light dimly illuminated the kitchen, and Katara could see pots and pans of various sizes hanging from hooks hammered into the wall. There was a counter made of stone that stretched for the length of the kitchen, and inserted halfway along the counter was a basin. Cupboards lined the walls, their wooden handles old and weathered against the smooth stone doors.

"It isn't much," Jia admitted softly, observing Katara examining the kitchen.

"It's amazing, considering the lack of resources you must face living in the desert." Katara said, still looking around the room. "But what do you do when you want hot food?"

"Well, we don't really have hot food. But when it's winter and the desert night is unbearably cold, we tend to just light a fire and cook food the old-fashioned, basic way," Jia explained. "We're just lucky to have a well and access to running water out here though."

Katara set the heavy basket onto the nearest section of counter and turned to the other girl, confused.

"Oh, Fire Nation troops came to our town after General Iroh did, and in return for our hospitality found a source of natural water close by for us to use in a well. Ever since, Siyu has lived comfortably. When the next shipment comes for us to transport, the town just stays inside and prays that we won't be discovered."

"It must be terrifying, especially now since Azula has taken the Earth Kingdom," Katara said sympathetically. Jia nodded.

"It's worse now that Princess Azula has conquered Ba Sing Se. Her ruthless ways are legendary, even out here in the desert. I worry sometimes…" She sighed and shook her head, before forcing a smile. "But don't let me drag you down. We have a meal to cook!"

Katara managed a small smile at Jia's fake enthusiasm, before leaning over the basket and lifting out the various things it contained. Jia gave the food the once-over, and when she deemed it acceptable, shifted it to one side. The few things she frowned at were moved to the other side.

"I'm sorry," Katara apologized after the fifth piece of food had been rejected. "I wasn't sure what to get, so I got a little of everything. Akio didn't help much when it came to the shopping part of the day."

"I can't think of a single man who enjoys shopping," Jia laughed. "And don't worry, most of the things you selected are really good to use in a soup or a salad."

"Sokka doesn't like salads," Katara remembered, smiling reminiscently. "When I made him one, he threw a tantrum and told me that he wasn't Flopsie." At Jia's blank stare, Katara continued. "Flopsie is King Bumi's pet rabbit. Pet _mutated _rabbit." She corrected. Jia laughed, before reached up to retrieve a particularly large pot from a hook above their heads. When she had heaved it down, she placed it on another section of counter and turned back to the vegetables.

"I didn't get any meat," Katara said suddenly, remembering the odd lack of meat at the market.

"That's because there isn't much meat to get," Jia replied. "The few animals that we have are for a purpose, so we can't kill them. Because of that, Siyu is pretty much a vegetarian town."

"Can't you just get meat imported?" Katara asked, watching Jia open a cupboard and pull out several sharp knives, their silver blades gleaming in the light.

"We could," Jia admitted, "but prices have been steadily rising for the past few years, and now that Princess Azula has taken over, it's damn near impossible to buy meat from Ba Sing Se. Whenever we would buy meat, say, for a special occasion, we'd always get it from Ba Sing Se because it was the cheapest. We could get it from other nearby towns, but it'd just be more effort than it was worth, frankly."

Katara digested this, silently thanking the Gods that she hadn't grown up in the desert. True, the South Pole was equally as desolate and hard to get to as Siyu was, but at least in the South Pole there was always plenty of meat to go around.

"We could make a soup, would that be okay?" Jia asked, looking at Katara.

"Sure," Katara shrugged. "Soup sounds great."

There was a moments pause, as Jia handed her a handful of vegetables and a knife to chop with.

"What animals do you use in Siyu?" Katara asked, now curious.

"We have a bird for carrying letters to and from different places. Solan and I have been writing to each other a lot more frequently recently nowadays. I just want to keep making sure that he's safe in the city now that the Fire Nation have invaded." Jia sighed heavily and took a moment to compose herself before continuing in a quieter voice. "We have a few ostrich-horses for short journeys, a chicken-pig or two and a couple of burrowing meerkats that the children have adopted as pets. Plus, all the spider-ants." She added mischievously.

"Yeah, can't forget about them." Katara muttered darkly. "I take it my friends told you about before."

"Yeah," Jia chuckled. "But don't worry, I hate spider-ants too. I mean, why do they need that many legs?"

"Thank you!" Katara said, smiling now." I'm glad someone agrees with me."

"I bet the boys all thought you were being stupid, right?" Jia asked knowingly, directing Katara to the vegetables she ought to slice. "That it was just a creepy-crawly and you were in no danger."

"Pretty much." Katara nodded, being very careful of not slicing her fingers with the knife. "Zuko especially, though."

"I'm not surprised," Jia shrugged, flicking a strand of her luxurious chocolate hair back. "In the Fire Nation, they're taught that emotion is weakness. And Zuko's the _Prince_ of the Fire Nation."

"He'll probably never grow out of that mindset, no matter how long he spends around us over-emotional people," Katara laughed.

"It's a good thing that you're not telling Sokka or Aang about your relationship; otherwise he'd see some _very_ over-emotional people," Jia mused, expertly and swiftly cutting up cabbage into neat slices. Katara paused from her own poorly-cut cabbage and turned to Jia.

"You think they'd overreact?" She asked quietly. Jia looked up from the cabbages and gave Katara a sympathetic expression.

"You don't?" She asked in return. "It's only been a couple of days since I met you all, and your brother and the Avatar both seem like really nice people…"

"But?" Katara prompted, her voice even quieter.

"But Katara, come on. We both know that they're not going to accept you and Zuko just yet. I think it's for the best that you decided not to tell them. They'll get to know and like Zuko in their own time, and putting pressure on them to accept your relationship isn't fair on anyone."

"You don't think I'm being unfair making Zuko keep quiet?" Katara asked, barely concealing the hope in her voice.

"I don't think that at all," Jia confirmed. "I think that if Zuko really loved you, then he'd wait until you're ready."

Katara nodded, overcome. Jia knew Katara's reasons for keeping quiet, and accepted them without question. Why couldn't Zuko? If someone who was practically a stranger understood her, then why the hell couldn't Zuko?

"I'm sorry if it wasn't my place," Jia said after a moment of silence. Katara looked at her and saw her face filled with worry.

"You're the first person I've talked to who fully agrees with me," Katara said, managing a small smile. "Thank you."

"It's just my opinion, there's no need to thank me," Jia laughed. "Besides, I know how upset you'd be if Zuko told everyone about your relationship."

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Zuko sat down on Katara's vacated cushion, squirming until he got comfortable. He could feel his uncle's gaze upon him, and looked up. Iroh smiled approvingly down at him from his place on his own cushion next to Zuko.

"It's the most times I've ever apologized to one person," Zuko grumbled quietly to his uncle.

"It's the most times you've ever apologized," Iroh laughed, a twinkle in his kind eyes. "But Miss Katara deserved all the apologies, did she not?"

"She did," Zuko nodded. "But I shouldn't have had to say anything that needed an apology."

"As long as you don't continually insult her, her family and her heritage then I think she'll be able to forgive you," Iroh said, and although he was smiling there was truth to his words.

Zuko looked over to Katara's brother, who had just fallen off his cushion and got up sheepishly. Zuko then looked disparagingly back to his uncle.

"You can't expect me not to insult that idiot."

"I expect you to behave politely to Sokka and the Avatar, no matter what your personal feelings towards them may be." Iroh said sternly.

"There's no point," Zuko sulked. "The Idiot hated me the moment he saw me. The Avatar - aside from being chased across the world, captured, almost killed and then actually being killed all by either myself or with my help - is in love with Katara."

There was a pause.

"I didn't say it would be easy, Prince Zuko." Iroh said. "And please do not refer to Sokka as 'The Idiot'. Katara will not appreciate it."

Zuko sighed and turned away from his uncle. He would call Sokka whatever he wanted, regardless of what Katara thought.

_But if I want Katara__'__s brother and the Avatar to like me__…__or at least tolerate me, I should start being at least a little bit respectful towards them, _Zuko concluded. He tried to think of something to say to the Avatar that wasn't something along the lines of "I need to capture you to restore my honor" because, let's face it, that would win him no new friends amongst these people.

"Have you started your Firebending lessons yet, Ava…Aang?" Zuko asked after a moment. He was so used to referring to the young boy as the Avatar, and 'Aang' sounded foreign on his tongue. The light conversation ceased completely as all eyes turned to Zuko. Sokka's eyebrows were raised in a cross between disbelief and scepticism, Akio looked mildly interested in what Zuko had to say, Iroh was smiling in a pleased way and Toph's expression was blank, like her eyes. The Avatar - _Aang, _Zuko corrected himself - stared at Zuko as though he had misheard. A long, moment of painful silence passed, and Zuko began to wish that he had just kept his mouth shut. _Bad things happen when I talk__…_

"I…uh…started this morning, when you were out. Sifu Iroh started to teach me the basics, breathing and stuff."

"He had to teach you how to breathe?" Toph asked, amused.

"Gee Aang, that is basic," Sokka drawled, earning a glare from the young Avatar.

"Funny. Really. But are either of you Firebenders?" Aang asked. When there was no reply, he smiled smugly. "That's what I thought."

"Is Iroh teaching you the things that you'd begun to learn from Jeong Jeong?" Sokka asked, interested despite himself.

"Jeong Jeong?" Iroh cut in, scandalized. "You met Jeong Jeong?"

"For all of two minutes, before Zhao crashed the party," Sokka informed him, a bitter note of remembrance in his voice. "Why?"

"Jeong Jeong was the first man to ever leave the Fire Nation army and live to tell the tale," Zuko replied quietly. "He is considered a traitor by the Fire Nation, and we are taught from an early age that what he did was dishonorable and punishable by death."

"No wonder the Fire Nation are a gloomy lot," Toph mused after a moment.

"Replace 'gloomy' with 'psychotic' and you're pretty much there," Sokka agreed, earning a scathing look from Zuko.

_He__'__s determined to make me hate him, _he thought, trying very hard to restrain from hitting the other boy. Although Zuko had tried to cut any ties he had with the Royal Family (except of course, his uncle and late mother) he couldn't ignore the patriotism he had been taught ever since birth.

"Anyway," Aang said, trying to steer the conversation away from anything offensive. "I'm hoping that this time will be different from the time with Jeong Jeong."

"Yeah, that did kind of turn out to be a disaster," Sokka nodded, stretching out his legs.

"What happened?" Akio asked, speaking for the first time since Jia and Katara had left, well over twenty minutes ago. Sokka shot a quick look at Aang, clearly regretting having said anything. The Avatar was looking away, anger and regret shining in his eyes.

"Aang burnt down Jeong Jeong's home." Sokka supplied quickly. "He felt guilty, but it's like Katara and I said, what kind of Firebender would have a house made out of wood and plants?"

If anyone actually bought this poor excuse for a lie, then Zuko would be surprised. However, no one said anything and the subject was soon dropped in favor of another.

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"Dinner's nearly ready," Katara told the sitting group. Jia had asked her to tell the others to get ready for the meal, just while she finalised some things. "You should probably sit down at the table. Oh, and Akio, Jia wants you to actually set the table before the others sit down." She finished apologetically.

"Work, work, work." Akio mock-complained, standing up and following Katara out of the room.

Katara felt a little uncomfortable leading Akio down the narrow and deserted passage to the kitchen, and kept silent. Akio however had different ideas.

"I'm sorry if - for any reason - I made you uncomfortable before. I guess I just get lonely…the girls in Siyu are either married, too young or a relation of mine. I don't mind if the girl is married, but I draw the line at the other two," He grinned in the dim light, and Katara prayed that he was only kidding. She made a non-committal noise and continued walking, happy when she made it into the safety of the kitchen.

"Hey Akio, where's Dad tonight?" Jia asked in greeting. She was separating nondescript leaves and vegetables onto different plates, occasionally sprinkling herbs from small jars onto them.

"Not sure," Akio replied, walking forward and casually plucking a green vegetable from the nearest plate and placing it in his mouth. Jia slapped his hand away as he went in for another bite.

"Hey!" Akio protested, with his mouth still full.

"You can wait until everyone else gets theirs," Jia chastened. "It's only fair."

Katara hid a smile at how much like a mother Jia sounded to Akio, even though they were the same age. Akio pulled a comical face and shrugged to Katara in a '_well, what__'__re you going to do?_' kind of way. Unable to restrain herself, Katara smiled back.

_He can be kind of funny, _she thought, watching Akio prowl slowly around the kitchen in search for some more food.

"You're not getting any dessert until you've finished your dinner, you know." Jia called over her shoulder to her brother as she put the finishing touches onto the last plate of mixed salad. "Anyway, are you sure Dad didn't tell you where he was going?"

"He said something about going with Hime and the Earth King to somewhere…but I really wasn't paying attention," Akio admitted, giving up on his quest for food. "Now, do you want me to set the table or not?"

"Yes. We'll have to eat the salad with our hands, I'm afraid, but you can still lay out spoons for the soup." Jia told her brother, who immediately began rummaging around in a drawer he had just opened. "I wasn't sure that soup alone would be enough, so I made some salad with the leftovers," she explained to Katara, who nodded. "Now, go and sit down. Even though you made half of the meal, you're still our guest, so we'll serve you."

Katara nodded again and left the kitchen. Her mind was strangely blank as she walked through the gloomy corridor, but this didn't bother her. Any thoughts she had were usually bad ones anyway, or things that would make her sad or worried. Entering the room where all her friends were sat, Katara smiled wordlessly at each of them, before taking her seat next to Toph and an empty chair. Opposite her sat Aang, who looked more cheerful than she had seen him in a long time. On Aang's left sat Sokka, on his right (and not looking very happy about it) was Zuko. Katara gave Zuko a brief smile before shifting her eyes away. On Toph's other side sat Iroh, who examined the walls around him with apparent interest. The rest of the chairs around the heavy wooden table were empty and forlorn. When Jia and Akio came in carrying plates, bowls and glasses filled with water to drink from, there was the obligatory "ooh" and "ahh", so much so that at one point, Akio smiled sheepishly and said "it's only soup and salad". Although it took a few trips to and from the kitchen to the table, soon enough everyone was eating happily, and Sokka even managed to forget his hatred for the Fire Nation as he got roped into a conversation with Zuko and Iroh about traditional Fire Nation dishes.

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"That was delicious," Iroh complimented, smiling and rubbing his stomach in a satisfied way. There was a chorus of agreement from the others, mostly directed at Jia.

"Katara made the meal as well," Jia mumbled, uncharacteristically abashed. The chorus turned to praising Katara, who smiled before turning back to her chat with Toph.

"I loved the green squishy things as well," Sokka mused. "What were they?"

"Probably cactus." Akio shrugged. When he noticed Sokka's eyes widen, he frowned. "Something the matter?"

"I didn't know a cactus was edible," Sokka managed after composing himself.

"Well, you should never drink the juice, but the actual plant is quite tasty," Jia smiled, much to Sokka's horror and the others' amusement.

"So what do you guys do for fun at night around here?" Aang asked when there was a lull in conversation. Everyone, interested, turned to Jia or Akio, who had sat themselves at either head of the table.

"Nothing much," Akio said after a pause. "Sometimes the town gets together in the main square if it's a special occasion or something."

There was a sudden loud rapping at the window behind the table. Katara and Iroh jumped at the noise, and turned frantically in their seats to see what the sound was. However, the night outside was black and so visibility was obviously poor.

"Don't worry, that's just Light, our messenger bird," Jia explained gently to Katara and Iroh, both of whom still looked a little nervous. She stood up, causing her chair to scrape unpleasantly across the floor, and made her way to the window. Carefully unlatching it, she held out an arm and after a second pulled it back. A large black bird now sat on her arm, its golden eyes glinting like steel at the unexpected newcomers. A green band was tied around its foot, at the end of which were nasty looking talons. On the other foot was attached a scroll.

"Light's an interesting name." Sokka commented after scanning the bird quickly.

"Our mother named him…" Akio replied quietly. When Katara looked at him in pity, his eyes were averted, but his fists, still on the table, were clenched tightly. "She had an unusual sense of humor."

Katara caressed her necklace briefly, before turning around in her seat to watch the bird some more. Its beak looked as deadly as its talons, and its cruel eyes flashed dangerously.

"Who's the letter from?" Akio asked his sister casually. Jia met his eyes momentarily before glancing away.

"Solan." She replied nonchalantly. "Just updating me on what's going on in Ba Sing Se. Anyway," she moved on quickly, sitting back down. "like Akio was saying, we don't really do much at night. But there's been talk of holding a celebrative feast in honor of the Avatar and his friends, to take place in five days."

There was silence amongst the group as Aang and his friends exchanged looks. "We're only going to be here for three more days." Aang said eventually.

"Oh, surely you can stay another couple of days…I heard that the market stall holders have clubbed together and gotten something special in from Ba Sing Se for the occasion," Jia said, her emerald eyes pleading and her full lips pouting cutely.

"Besides, you can safely learn Firebending here without fear that you'll be caught." Akio added to Aang. "And we can put you up for as long as you need; you're always welcome here."

There was a long pause, in which each member of the Avatar's group deliberated over what had just been suggested. Being constantly on the move would mean that it would be difficult for Aang to learn Firebending, but they would get into the Fire Nation a lot quicker. However, a stable environment would be best for Aang to learn, and what could be more stable than Siyu?

"I guess it's only a couple more days…" Aang started hesitantly. "And if it'd mean I could learn Firebending quicker and safer…"

"I think it's a good idea," Katara offered. "We're not going to get much time to relax in the next few months, so we should probably take what we can get."

"Exactly!" Jia smiled, her straight white teeth gleaming. "I'm so happy you're staying for a little while longer."

"Again, thank you for having us," Aang said, and the conversation slowly steered back to what events happened at night in Siyu.

"We could always do a music night," Iroh suggested, turning to his nephew excitedly.

"No." Zuko said flatly.

"But you could play-"

"No."

"Come on, you're an excellent-"

"No."

"Not even for your Uncle Iroh?"

"_Especially_ not for my Uncle Iroh."

"Fine." Iroh sulked.

"Actually, it could be a good idea," Katara ventured after a moment.

"Please don't say that." Zuko said, shooting her a half-pleading, half-exasperated look.

"I'm with Sugar Queen," Toph spoke up. "A music night would be cool. You could have dancing and music and food."

"Well as long as there's food, sounds good," Sokka agreed.

"Actually, I was being sarcastic, but it _i__s_ starting to seem like a good idea," Toph admitted.

"Then it's settled." Jia smiled happily. "Tomorrow night, we dance!"

"I don't get off work until late tomorrow night," Akio reminded his sister. To the others, he explained, "I work forging weapons for the Earth Kingdom army…we've been having a lot of orders from rebel groups of Earth Kingdom soldiers hoping to take down Ba Sing Se. Of course, they won't succeed, but at least it's keeping us in business."

"Come on, that's just an excuse," Jia teased her brother. "You hate dancing."

"I confess, dancing is not in my area of expertise." Akio sighed dramatically, before grinning at the rest of the group.

"Well, considering you've just confessed something so obviously _incredibly_ important to you," Jia started, glancing at her brother with a malicious grin on her face, "I have something to say as well." She raised her water-filled glass in a toast. The others hastened to follow her lead.

"When people used to mention the Avatar, I never thought of him as a human being, as strange as that sounds. He was always a faceless figure to me, a character we could all put our hope and faith into. But meeting Aang and all his friends has shown me that there's a boy behind the name. A boy who risked everything to keep the world safe, even at the cost of his own life. But I know that it was with the help of his allies - his friends - that he became so great. To friendships," Jia finished, raising her glass higher.

"To the Avatar." Iroh smiled, also raising his glass.

"To faceless figures." Toph nodded, lifting her glass as she knew the others were.

"To love." Zuko mumbled, lifting his glass in Katara's direction.

The table suddenly became silent and still.

"I have something I've been meaning to tell you all," Zuko said clearly, after drinking from his glass. The smile still upon Katara's face at Jia's speech slipped slightly at Zuko's words. As she turned to look at him, he looked everywhere around the table but her eyes. "Something _we've _been meaning to tell you all."

Katara's chest constricted painfully as she had the sinking realization of what Zuko was about to reveal.

"Katara and I…" Zuko began, before fixing his eyes upon Aang and Sokka. "We're in love."

Katara's eyes widened and she gasped quietly. She had been praying that what she thought Zuko was going to say was wrong, that he would never betray her secret like that in front of her family and the people she loved most. She felt her eyes go moist and her hands started to shake violently as the impact of his words sank in. She slumped as though she had been hit in the stomach, although the pain she was feeling was a million times worse. The silence was unbearable at the table, and as Sokka and Aang turned to stare at her with hurt, disbelief, anger and disgust in their eyes, Katara found it was too much. She stood up abruptly, her chair scraping the floor loudly. All eyes were on her as a tear ran unchecked down her cheek, before she turned wordlessly and ran from the room.

The glass she had been toasting her friends with had been dropped when she'd risen from her seat, and now rolled along the table, spilling clear water as it went. No one stopped the glass as it rolled off the edge of the table and shattered. No one looked at the broken pieces on the floor, damaged beyond repair.

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_**A/N:**_

_**Yep, I'm going to leave you with a cliff-hanger because I'm mean like that. This being my story, Sokka and Aang were never going to be happy when they found out about Zuko and Katara. Plus, I love writing dramatically for some unknown reason. Either way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it…even if it did take me ages to update. Sorry about that by the way, but I've had so much coursework to do…**_

_**So, how awesome was the Season Three premiere? If you check out the TurboNick website, they had posted "The Headband" on there a couple of nights ago…not sure if it's still up though.**_

_**Thanks to all my reviewers (old and new) and if someone can get me to 50 reviews this chapter that'd be great :D**_

_**Have a good week,**_

_**- Momo**_


	9. The Smile When You Tore Me Apart

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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Uncomfortable silence had descended on the table like the plague since Katara had ran from the room. After Zuko had dropped his unexpected bombshell, each person avoided the others' eyes awkwardly, except for Aang and Sokka who either glared murderously at Zuko, or in confusion at each other.

"Someone should probably go after her," Toph said quietly after five agonising minutes had passed. All eyes were laid on Toph, silently agreeing with her.

"I'll go." Zuko said, standing up quickly.

"No way," Sokka snarled menacingly, also standing up. "You are _never _going _anywhere_ near my sister again, do you understand me?"

"That isn't your decision," Zuko snapped back, his eyes narrowing in hatred.

"Like hell," Sokka spat, and Akio sprang up next to Sokka, holding back his arm in case he decided to attack the Firebender. "I have spent all my life protecting Katara, and I'll be damned if I see her going off with someone like you."

"Someone like me? You mean a Firebender?" Zuko asked, taunting Sokka to outright insult him.

"I mean an asshole," Sokka corrected harshly, his fists clenched so tightly that his short nails began to bite into his palm. Making a low growling noise in the back of his throat, Zuko lunged for the other boy. However, before he had so much as come five paces near Sokka, he slammed into a large stone wall. Reeling from the force, yet managing to keep upright, Zuko turned to stare at Toph, the fire encircling his wrists dying down slightly. The young Earthbender had risen so quickly that no one had seen her do it, and now stood with her hands firmly in the air, in position with the stone wall in between Zuko and Sokka. The once smooth wooden floor beneath them was cracked and splintered where the wall had been summoned from the earth, and fragments of sharp wood were scattered on the floor and embedded into the walls.

"Enough." Toph hissed, her anger-filled voice so different from her normal sarcastic drawl. "Katara - who you both claim to love so much - is out there alone, upset and probably lost, and all you can do is fight each other like the pathetic little boys you are."

Zuko's stare turned into a glare as he realized that Toph wasn't going to help him. His breathing had become heavy through anger, and smoky tendrils began to seep through his fists.

"You dare…?"

"I dare." Toph confirmed in a tone that almost dared Zuko to disagree with her, or even attack her. "Now here's what's going to happen. Jia and Zuko will take the west of the town. Sokka and Aang will take the south. Iroh and I will take the north, which leaves Akio to take the east."

Toph's face was set, and there gradually became noises of grudging consent from the others.

"Shouldn't someone stay here in case she comes back?" Aang asked in a quiet, controlled voice.

"Our father should be back soon," Jia spoke up. "Or we could leave her a note."

"Okay. Everyone report back here in two hours. If we haven't found her by then, then we'll come up with an alternate solution." Toph commanded with authority. Again, there were murmurs of agreement from the rest of the group, and one by one they stood next to the person they had been assigned to.

"If anything happens to Katara, I'm holding you personally responsible," Sokka muttered under his breath to Zuko.

"If anything happens to her, my life won't be worth living," Zuko hissed back.

"Damn straight," Sokka agreed, although he had a feeling that Zuko wasn't talking about the ways his life wouldn't be worth living because Sokka would make his life hell. But before Sokka could even entertain the notion that this Firebender genuinely felt anything for Katara, Toph had walked out, and was now standing by the door, shouting that everyone should start looking.

One by one, the groups of people filed out silently and into the night. Soon, only Iroh, Toph, Jia and Zuko remained standing just outside the inn.

"Well congratulations Zuko," Toph said bitterly. "You've really screwed up this time."

The anger in her voice made Zuko remain silent. He had expected Katara to be happy that everyone finally knew…so why did she run crying from the room?

"It wasn't the best choice, nephew." Iroh agreed quietly. The disappointment in his tone was evident, and for some reason it made Zuko angry.

"I get it - I messed up. Again. You don't need to keep on telling me that," He snarled, then stormed off into the night. Jia, with an apologetic glance at Iroh and Toph, hurried after him.

"Well you were spectacularly _wrong,_" Zuko hissed as Jia fell in step beside him.

"Hey, you were the one who decided to tell her," Jia replied sharply. "I just put the idea into your head. You have your own free will."

Zuko didn't saying for awhile, thinking over the past half an hour. Things had been going so well, he had even been on speaking terms with the Avatar and Katara's brother…then just one sentence had ruined it.

"Do you think she'll be able to forgive me, even though I did nothing wrong?" Zuko asked after a few minutes of walking along the road in silence. He had created a small ball of fire, which lit up the surrounding areas against the black night. The surrounding buildings looked threatening in the dim light, and Zuko averted his eyes.

"If you tell her that you didn't do anything wrong, then why should she forgive you?" Jia asked in return. Zuko kept quiet, grudgingly aware that Jia had a point.

"Although I think she might have overreacted a little, that doesn't change the fact that you hurt her," Jia continued, more gently now. "I don't know Katara as well as you do, so I don't know what you can say to make it better. I guess you'll just have to wing it when you next see her."

"Maybe, but knowing my luck her brother and the Avatar will find her before I do and drill something ridiculous about me into her head." Zuko said, voicing a fear that he had had ever since Toph had split them up into teams.

Jia seemed to hesitate for a moment. "Akio told me of his plans to make Katara feel more comfortable. He set up a place where she could Waterbend in private. If she's upset, then she may have gone there."

Zuko stopped walking suddenly and turned to Jia. The moonlight reflected off her chestnut hair in a way that would make other men fall at her feet. For Zuko, however, he had eyes for only one person. _The person I hurt and betrayed…_he finished off sadly.

"Tell me where it is," He commanded after a moment. "I can't risk Sokka or the Avatar finding her before I do."

Jia nodded once, her hair bouncing around her shoulders. "It's quite far from here, but it's secluded, so we'll find it before anyone else does," she promised, before swiftly walking in another direction.

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The tears mixed freely with the water Katara controlled in between her hands. After Zuko's announcement, she had allowed her legs to carry her to wherever they wanted, and she was surprised when she found herself at the secret area that Akio had shown her only a couple of hours previously. Raising her hands, every drop of water nearby flew into the sky and crashed furiously into each other as Katara repeatedly slammed her hands together. She made sure that the water wouldn't be visible to anyone else; she didn't want to be found just yet. Feeling nothing except the pain inside her and thinking nothing but of Zuko's betrayal, she continually smashed the water together, ignoring the droplets that fell on her. After a few minutes, she found she had grown tired. Expanding and decreasing the cool liquid in what was meant to be a soothing manner did nothing, so eventually she turned the water into ice daggers, hurling them at the nearby wall in rage. When the ice shattered, she fell to her knees, defeated and numb.

_How could he? _She repeatedly asked herself sadly. _How could he betray me like this?_

Bits of ice had scattered around her, some so close and sharp that if she moved even an inch her hand would be sliced open. The moonlight shone brightly on the ice, reflecting its beauty into the night. Katara ignored all these things and just tried to focus on anything but the cause of the tears now streaming down her cheeks.

"Katara," A voice whispered softly. Katara snapped her neck around quickly, her heart leaping as she tried to place the voice. When she saw it was only Akio, her heart returned to its sad, slow pace and she turned back around. Her neck was starting to ache slightly anyway. She heard Akio take a few nervous steps towards her, then the crunching of ice when he accidentally stood on one of the remains of the makeshift daggers. He cursed under his breath, before carrying on tentatively.

"Katara," He repeated, his voice like smooth velvet. "I'm so, so sorry."

Katara shrugged her shoulders. "It wasn't you who betrayed me to everyone," She replied, her nonchalant voice barely masking her underlying pain. She felt Akio's hand touch her shoulder gently, and she looked up. His emerald green eyes searched hers, an unsatisfied expression on his face. He stepped back - another crunch was heard as he again accidentally crushed some ice - and offered Katara his hand. She stared at it for a moment, before taking it and allowed herself to be hauled up. When she was on her feet, Akio enveloped her in a strong hug.

"I don't really know what to do when girls are upset," he confessed quietly, his breath tickling her ear. "I've heard hugging helps. Oh, and you can cry if you want to."

"I don't want to cry," Katara told him quietly. He released her with a quick smile.

"Good, because this is one of my favourite shirts and I'd hate for it to get ruined…"

Instead of smiling at his weak joke, Katara turned away. It was true that she didn't want to cry, but she feared that she wouldn't be able to elude crying for long. Already her eyes were prickling painfully with traitorous tears and the back of her throat was starting to burn. She blinked twice, trying to shake off the moisture that had almost completely taken over her eyes.

"Do you want to be alone?" Akio asked, his voice hesitant.

"I don't think love is supposed to be like this," Katara whispered, as though she hadn't heard Akio's question. "My mom used to tell me all these stories when I was younger about how a girl would fall in love with someone loyal and brave and strong…someone who would fight for her honor, no matter what."

"Zuko's never fought for your honor?" Akio asked, something akin to indignation in his tone.

"Well, he's fought me for his own honor, if that gets him any credit."

"It doesn't." Akio's voice was as icy as the scattered shards of frozen water around him.

"Yeah, I thought not." Katara laughed bitterly, her voice cracking as tears slid down her face. She remembered the times Zuko actually _had _fought for her honor, but she felt no guilt at lying. "Every time -" she cut herself off as fresh tears now streamed down her face. "Every time I've trusted him, he's thrown it back in my face somehow." She knew that her nose must be running and her voice was so muffled by tears that she must be making no sense to Akio, but she didn't care. Zuko had betrayed her again, and now Sokka and Aang probably hated her. She had seen the disgust in their eyes as they looked at her at the dinner table; it had been part of the reason that she had ran away, no longer able to bear their accusing looks.

"He's an idiot," Akio murmured, sounding as though he was right behind her. Katara turned around only to find herself within a pace of him. "You don't deserve to be treated like that."

Katara thought she heard something in the alley that served as an entrance to the secret little hideaway Akio had made for her. After a glance, she convinced herself that it was just a mouse and she looked back at the boy in front of her.

"I don't," she agreed, glad that someone else saw it this way. Her tears had subsided slightly, and as she raised her hand to wipe her eyes, Akio stepped forward and caught her hand gently.

"We're not all like Zuko, you know," Akio told her softly, drawing her hand away from her face and down to her waist.

"That's why I only love him," Katara whispered in reply, another tear sliding down her already wet cheek.

"I meant that not everyone is out to hurt you. You've know Zuko - how long?" without waiting for an answer, Akio carried on, "A few months. In all that time, is there any point in which he wasn't chasing, fighting or lying to you?"

Katara wanted to speak out, to tell Akio that she loved Zuko and that he wasn't a bad person, but something stopped her. Maybe it was all the hurt and pain that Zuko had caused her in the last hour. Maybe it was because Akio's words had a ring of truth to them. Either way, Katara looked down, unable to meet Akio's gaze as tears filled her eyes again. Akio's soft fingertip placed itself under her chin and lightly lifted her head up until Katara had no choice but to look at him. To her mild alarm, she noticed that he was drawing closer.

"You're beautiful tonight, you know that?" He murmured, before sealing his lips over hers.

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Zuko's heart sank as he watched Akio kiss a motionless Katara. He had walked into the alley less than a minute ago, to see Akio take Katara's hand. He had wanted to storm in right there and then, but Jia held him back, whispering for him to wait until he saw Katara's reaction. To his dismay, she hadn't pulled her hand away. His disappointment had briefly turned to happiness when Katara told Akio that she loved Zuko, but this had quickly changed when Katara hadn't defended him. Watching Akio lean in to kiss her, Zuko had been frozen in shock. He was certain that Katara would pull away or even slap Akio, but that hadn't happened. Instead she stood there silently for a moment, which was all Zuko could deal to look at. Part of him told him to storm in there demanding what the hell was going on, but another, larger part, just told him to go. He could confront Akio and even Katara later, but first he needed to sort his head out. How could Katara betray him like this? It was an ironic thought, it was true, but it was a thought that nonetheless haunted him as he turned on his heel and swiftly and silently departed from the alley.

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_He's kissing me, _Katara thought dully. _Why is he kissing me? _Akio's kiss had taken her by surprise so much that she couldn't move for a moment or two. Then a thought flickered, a voice telling her that this was wrong, that she loved Zuko and would never do anything to hurt him. Unfortunately, Zuko didn't seem to feel the same way about the 'not hurting' thing, but still. After briefly flirting with the idea that she should cause Zuko as much pain as he caused her, Katara pulled away from Akio.

"I can't do this," she told him quietly, taking a few paces back to put some distance between them. "I love Zuko, no matter what he's done."

Akio regarded her silently, his expression one as though he was watching a less intelligent being who was vaguely entertaining. Katara crossed her arms self consciously and began to make her way to the alley, unable to deal with Akio's looks.

"He won't change," Akio called casually after her. "Whenever you trust him, he'll just abuse it."

She could see his eyes sparkling from where she stood and his features were as beautiful as though he was an angel. However, as the demonic words poured from his mouth, spreading mistrust and hate, Katara backed away, not taking her fearful eyes off him. As soon as she reached the alley she turned and ran, hurrying straight past Jia, who stood concealed in the shadows.

When Jia knew that Katara was out of earshot, she stepped forward into the moonlight, her brunette hair swishing as she walked. She carelessly flicked it over her shoulder as she reached her brother and gave him an appraising smile.

"If she doesn't believe that performance, then she won't believe anything," She told her brother appreciatively. Akio shrugged off this compliment.

"It was nothing. Are you sure Zuko saw?"

Jia smiled darkly, showing off her perfect white teeth. "It'll be a long time before he can get the image of you kissing his little princess out of his head," she promised.

"I'm impressed at your timing. It was more or less the exact time that I told you." Akio said indifferently. "Though your entrance was a little noisy."

"In case you hadn't noticed, it's _kind of_ dark in that alley, so my visibility wasn't at its best." Jia replied snappily, narrowing her eyes. "Besides, Zuko saw the important part, Katara's unaware, and there's going to be one hell of an argument when they get back to the inn."

"As long as they don't break anything," Akio shrugged again. "I'm actually a little amazed at how well this is all going."

"That's because it's my plan," Jia laughed. "Well, most of it, anyway. Now are you coming back home to watch the fun?"

"We can't. We need to make sure the others don't go back to the inn. Zuko and Katara need to fight this out alone, so they only have each other to blame when it all goes wrong." Akio pointed out, heading towards the alley. "Are you coming or not?"

"Yes, you don't need to boss me about!" Jia replied crossly, daintily stepping over the ice shards in her path.

"I'm older than you," Akio called back from the darkness of the alley.

"By ten minutes!" Jia shouted, also disappearing into the gloom. "It barely counts."

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_**A/N:**_

_**Don't hate me! This chapter is kinda short by my normal standards, but it's a coursework-free night, so I wanted to update. Next chapter: the Zuko/Katara confrontation…**_

_**The title of this chapter comes from one of my favourite Within Temptation songs, "Angels". I recommend you listen to it if symphonic metal is your cup of tea (:**_

_**Thanks for your reviews last chapter, they all made me so happy :D Please review this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it.**_

_**- Momo**_


	10. All That Glitters

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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_**A/N: Just a reminder that this story is rated T, guys. If you happen to have the song "Never Too Late" by Three Days Grace, then you might want to try listening to it whilst reading this chapter. Don't know why, it's just a really cool song :P Either way, hope you enjoy (:**_

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_What am I supposed to do now? _Katara thought frantically, running down the eerily dark streets, the occasional patch of moonlight lighting the otherwise black night. Her head was spinning unpleasantly because of everything that had happened in the past hour and a half, but she didn't dare stop for fear that Akio would catch up to her. His cool assurance that Zuko would never change scared her more than she was willing to admit. Worse, it made her truly doubt her relationship with the Fire Prince. What if, every single time she trusted Zuko from now on, he pulled a stunt like this? It would be absurd to expect her to carry on forgiving him and giving him more chances.

_Even so, I'd do it if it meant we'd stay together, _Katara thought sadly. She paused for breath on the road she knew that the inn was near. Her chest heaved until she managed to take deep, steadying breaths and continued to walk again. The plan was to go back to the inn and wait for the others to come back; assuming of course that they'd all gone looking for her like Akio evidently had. Katara started walking slowly to the inn, finding her legs shaking unpleasantly with every step she took. When she was only a few feet away, she saw the dark shape of someone leaning against the inn's door. The weak lantern above the inn door hung a little to the right of where the figure stood, ensuring that the mysterious person was thrown into shadows.

Katara hesitated before walking forward slowly. Hearing her footsteps, the figure looked up and took a step into the light. When she saw it was Zuko, his heart soared, before quickly dropping when she registered his expression. His eyes were like cold steel, his mouth set in a carefully controlled line that conveyed no emotion. He didn't take his eyes off her as she took tentative steps forward.

Silence hung around the young couple as both remained silent. Katara wasn't sure what to say, whether to be immediately angry or to forgive him. Her encounter with Akio had, in some strange way, made her appreciate Zuko more. But that didn't erase what the Fire Prince had done.

"I thought everyone was out looking for me," Katara murmured eventually, glancing up then quickly back down again as she was met with an icy glare that she knew she didn't deserve.

"They are." Zuko replied shortly, his voice matching his cold eyes. He and Katara were stood in the small circle of light created by the lantern above their heads, shielding them from the sinister shadows around them. With Zuko's next words, Katara decided that she'd feel safer in the shadows.

"Jia took me to where she thought you might be. It turns out you were there. But you weren't alone." Zuko's frosty voice heating up.

Katara's eyes widened as she realized what Zuko had seen and misinterpreted. _Of course, _she thought, trying to think of what to say next. _Of course this would happen. It isn't bad enough that Zuko betrayed me and turned my family against me, now he accuses me of cheating on him?!_

"I-" Katara started, unsure of what she was actually going to say. Not that that mattered, seeing as Zuko cut her off.

"Kissed Akio? Yes, I saw." His harsh words were made worse by his suddenly nonchalant tone. Katara opened her mouth indignantly, before closing it again slowly. She would have to choose her words carefully, otherwise Zuko would lose his fragile temper.

"Zuko, _he _kissed _me_." She explained softly, braving his artic eyes so that he could tell she was being truthful.

"It doesn't matter who instigated it!" Zuko snapped hotly, losing his composure momentarily. Katara stepped back in alarm, standing half in shadow, half in glaring brightness. Zuko took a deep, steadying breath before continuing in a calmer, colder tone. "You didn't pull away. You're just as guilty as he is."

Katara felt hot tears stab at her eyes as the unfairness of the situation sunk in. In Zuko's eyes, Katara had betrayed and cheated on him, and she doubted that anything she could say would make a difference. Still, she had to try.

"I pulled away as soon as I could. I…I was just shocked. He was being really nice, comforting, then suddenly he kissed me. I couldn't have stopped it."

But Zuko wasn't listening. "Why did you do it? To get back at me? I told everyone about us because otherwise they'd never know. You sure as hell weren't going to tell them, and-"

"I was!" Katara protested, still fighting tears. "As soon as the time was right I-"

"Bullshit!" Zuko exploded. "You were never going to tell them because you wanted to keep me a secret! You're ashamed of me, and I don't know why you don't just admit it!"

Flames were beginning to curl around his wrists, and the area around them had heated up considerably. Zuko's eyes had been reduced to slits, and were burning intensely. Scared so much that she was shaking, Katara stepped sideways towards the inn door.

"I am _not_ talking about this here," She muttered, reaching for the handle. Zuko's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, twisting it so that Katara cried out in pain. His hand like burning iron around her fragile wrists, Zuko pulled open the door roughly and shoved her through, never loosening his grip.

"What are you doing?" Katara cried into the darkness, trying frantically to free herself. Zuko had changed so abruptly that she would never have seen it coming.

"You didn't want to talk about it outside, so we're going somewhere more private," Zuko informed her coldly, beginning to drag her towards the direction she knew to be the stairs. He paused for a moment, before lighting a large, unguarded flame in the palm of his free hand. The space around them became a little brighter, and newly formed shadows leered at Katara from the walls.

"Zuko, calm down," Katara begged as he continued forcing her towards the stairs. "Just listen to my side of it!"

But Zuko didn't listen. He didn't listen to her angry commands, her heartbreaking pleas or her body hitting a step heavily as he occasionally climbed too fast and caused her to trip. After the third time she fell, Katara silently cursed the day she had come into Siyu. Zuko waited only a moment for her to get back onto her feet before dragging her back up, his grip growing ever hotter with his rage. Katara had given up trying to free herself or talk sense into Zuko, so she settled for trying to think of ways to calm him down. However this became increasingly difficult as the tingling sensation on her wrist intensified quickly, until it was scorching and Katara sharply inhaled in pain.

"You're hurting me!" She shouted tearfully, trying once again in vain to free her blazing wrist. A second after she had spoken, Zuko stopped climbing and turned roughly. Katara hastily stopped herself from stumbling as she followed. The flame in Zuko's palm flickered out as they reached the first door, and all was silent for a moment. Then there was a splintering crash as Zuko kicked the door harder than Katara thought possible. She quickly flinched away from the flying fragments of wood, desperately trying not to get any embedded into her clothes. But as soon as she had shied away, Zuko snarled and pulled her wrist so fiercely that she went flying through the remainder of the door to what she briefly recognized as Jia's room. She clutched onto the bed post frantically to keep on her feet, and as she steadied herself she stared at Zuko, her anger building and then erupting.

"What the hell is the matter with you?!" She screamed, cradling her wrist which was already showing signs of bad burns. Tears, equal parts of fear, wrath and indignation, swamped her eyes again, but she blinked them away furiously. "Have you _completely lost your mind?!_"

Zuko stalked into the room, effortlessly avoiding the scattered pieces of sharp wood. The room was unbearably hot, heat seeming to flood Katara stronger and stronger every second, but she ignored it as best she could, too incensed to do anything except shout and scream. However, before she could take in a breath, Zuko had stopped a mere two paces in front of her. His eyes showed no love or even recognition; they were cold and cruel, the way Katara always used to imagine a Fire Nation Prince's would be.

"Trust me Katara," he hissed her name dangerously, "it isn't _my_ sanity I fear for."

The irony of his words "trust me" seemed almost comical in its irony and Katara was momentarily speechless. So many words (admittedly most of them curses) rushed into her mind, but she couldn't find any strong enough to describe the sting of betrayal, the burn of distrust.

"How…dare you." She managed finally, her voice, inexplicably, full of amused disbelief. "I can't believe you have the nerve to stand in front of me and call _me_ insane, when you're the one who publicly announced the only thing I have ever asked you not to say."

"If you expected me to keep quiet forever, then you're a fool," Zuko told her, his voice still a quiet hiss. "You _wanted_ me to tell everyone, and you know it."

"You're so right," Katara agreed, her voice dripping with venomous sarcasm. "I guess I was just thrown off by all those times I said 'I don't want you to tell anyone'."

"Everyone was going to find out. I just made it sooner rather than later." Zuko said, his sudden cool nonchalance unnerving considering how close he was standing to Katara. She felt like he would pounce anytime, as though he were some kind of wild animal. Nevertheless, she didn't let this deter her from the anger that thrashed inside her.

"Why do you have to make everything on your terms? You do the opposite of every damn thing I say just so you can be in control!" She shouted, the tears that had dried up suddenly returning with full force. Like before, she ignored them.

"Oh, so I should've _encouraged _you to go behind my back and kiss other men!" Zuko threw his hands up in uncharacteristic sarcasm that didn't suit him. His eyes were narrowed as he brought his hands back down to his sides. "You continually mention all the times I've let you down or betrayed you, but you're nothing but a hypocrite."

"Why aren't you listening to me?" Katara literally screamed. "Akio kissed me, not the other way around! He caught me by surprise and by the time you had finished spying on me-"

"Spying on you?" Zuko repeated incredulously. "I was seeing if you were safe after your ridiculous overreaction before!"

"Oh, so now you care!"

Her words were met with stony silence. Zuko's face was hard and cruel as he looked down his nose at her disparagingly.

"I've always cared." He informed her coldly.

"You're doing a hell of a job convincing me otherwise," Katara replied, meeting his eyes briefly before looking away. She gathered a breath, steeling herself to say everything she had wanted to say for the past hour, and looked back at him. "I've trusted you so many times with so many different things. And _every single time_, you've twisted and abused that trust and thrown it back in my face so that it hurts either me or someone I care about." It felt good to get her feelings out into the open. But the words and feelings soon flooded out of her mouth, and the more she thought about what she was saying, the angrier she became. "Mostly it's things I can overlook…insulting me, picking fights with my brother, even tricking me into thinking you didn't love me when we were in the Ba Sing Se dungeons. But there are some things that I just can't forget." She paused, these very things flashing one by one through her mind.

_Trusting Zuko. Fighting Zuko. The pain of smashing into crystalline rocks as the Fire Nation Royal siblings attacked her simultaneously. The worse pain of realising that Zuko hadn't changed. Aang being stricken by Azula's lightning. Aang falling. The look on Sokka's face when he found out his little sister was in love with the enemy. Zuko's unrelenting grip on her wrist…burning and betraying her once more._

She stared down at the angry red marks clenching themselves around her wrist for a few moments, her fury growing.

"How can you do this to someone you love?" She spat, snapping her cold eyes back at Zuko's equally frosty ones. "How am I supposed to trust you _again _after this?"

"Not everything is about trust. If it were, then you wouldn't have gone behind my back and kissed someone else," Zuko told her, his even voice betraying only a hint of anger.

"Not everything is about trust," Katara agreed, feeling the heat rising. "Some things are about honor and faithfulness and honesty and-" She found herself getting louder, angrier and more upset with ever word she spoke, so she cut herself off. "Every time I trust you, are you going to throw it back in my face?"

"Every time I make a mistake, will you throw it back in mine?" Zuko asked in return. "Not saying that I made any mistakes," he added quickly, squashing any hopes that Katara had that Zuko might be feeling repentant.

That did it.

How could Zuko not see that he had done anything wrong? He had betrayed her, humiliated her, hurt her one too many times without apologising. And even when he did apologise, he only did the exact same thing or worse a few days later…well it stopped now. Katara couldn't control her anger or, unfortunately, her words.

"You didn't make a mistake?" She repeated incredulously. "Zuko, all you ever do is make mistakes! I know that everyone screws up occasionally, but come on, this is getting ridiculous!"

The warning signs were in place: the room reaching new heightened temperatures, Zuko had clenched his fists and his eyes were narrowing like never before. However, Katara ignored the signs and ploughed on, aiming for the hurt, regardless of the consequences.

"Aang died because of your mistakes! My entire family will probably disown me because of your mistakes! I don't know if I can trust you anymore, doesn't that mean anything to you?" She demanded, praying for some sort of reaction. But Zuko just stood there coldly, glaring down at her with a warning expression. "Every time you mess up, someone innocent gets hurt, be it me, yourself or your mother!"

There was a silence as Katara's words sunk in. Even before she saw the expression on Zuko's face contort, she knew that she had gone too far.

"I…I didn't mean-"

"It seems the biggest mistake I made was falling in love with some common Water Tribe whore!" Zuko spat furiously.

Katara lashed out before she could stop herself. Zuko's face felt like stone as it connected with her outstretched palm, but it didn't stop Katara from putting all her force behind the slap. After the loud smacking sound, a menacing silence descended. Katara's eyes went wide as she placed her smarting hand down to her side, taking steps away from Zuko who had not moved his head from the position it had been forced into by Katara's hand. Slowly, scarily, Zuko moved his head upright again and looked directly at Katara. His eyes showed no sign of any emotion besides hard fury. With each stumbling step Katara backed away, Zuko strode towards her until she was against the wall, unable to go anywhere. Trapped. His golden eyes narrowed, he leant in towards her until their noses were practically touching.

"If you ever do that again, then I swear I will hit you back ten times harder." He hissed, his words perfectly clear as they sliced through the silence, punctuated only by Katara's heavy, terrified breaths. "Do you understand?"

She nodded wordlessly, ignoring the cool tear that slid down her cheek as Zuko stared at her for a moment longer. She didn't meet his eyes and, thankfully, he didn't force her to. As tears obscured her vision, she could make out the blurry form of Zuko straightening up, turning and walking away in disgust. Silently, the tears rolled down Katara's cheeks and she didn't wipe them away. The room was completely silent apart from Katara's shuddering breaths. She was shaking violently, either from fear, the force of the tears, or a little of both. Her heart hammered so loudly that she was distantly surprised that Zuko couldn't hear it. Deciding it was best to get some fresh air, Katara lifted her shaking, burnt wrist to wipe away the tears. As the relatively fresh burns connected with her wet cheeks, the burns exploded in pain and she took a sharp intake of breath, clenching her eyes shut against her now searing wrist. After a moment she released the breath, telling herself that she would heal the burns as soon as she found some fresh water. Reopening her tearful eyes, she saw Zuko looking directly at her wrist, a haunted look on his face. A part of Katara wanted to display her burns to him, to make him feel guilt and remorse. But another, larger part, condemned this thought. As inconspicuously as she could, she let her wrist fall to the side, careful to not let it graze against anything. She forced her shaking legs to move one step at a time towards the remains of the door, keeping her moist eyes downcast.

"Katara…" His voice was nothing more than a whisper, but it screamed and reverberated inside her ears. His tone was hesitant and almost undecipherable. "I'm sorry."

"I know." Her voice was bitter and resigned, much to her surprise. Tears fell once more onto the wooden floor. "You always are."

Zuko said nothing more and neither did she until she was almost at the door. Before she had stopped herself, she turned around and faced Zuko.

"Is this how it's going to be from now on? You drag me off somewhere when I disagree with you, burning me in the process and then threatening to hit me when I lose my temper for a second?" She asked, her voice weak and shaking with tears, but her resolve strong. When Zuko didn't reply, Katara shut her eyes tightly momentarily before reopening them. "Answer me!" she demanded. Zuko again did not comply. "I thought it wasn't honorable to hit a woman."

"It isn't honorable to kiss another person when you're already in love with someone," Zuko reminded her and Katara felt like screaming. They were going round in a ridiculous circle that wasn't helping anyone. Still, as long as they were in this loop, she might as well hit back. Figuratively, of course.

"Give me a reason that I shouldn't suspect you and Jia of anything!" She challenged, her sapphire eyes flashing dangerously as she dared Zuko to deny it. Even though she had been instantly jealous of Jia's beauty and charm, she had never seriously entertained the idea that Zuko would cheat with her.

"Are you kidding me?" Zuko snarled in disgust.

"Why should you be the only one to be able to throw wild accusations about?" Katara questioned, raising her eyebrows.

"I'll tell you why," Zuko growled, taking a few steps towards her. She shrank back instinctively, momentarily afraid that Zuko would carry out his earlier threat. However, after an ill-masked flash of hurt passed across Zuko's face, Katara realized that he was heading for the shattered door that was mere inches behind her. Feeling inexplicably foolish, she looked away and stepped aside to allow Zuko to pass.

"Stay here." He instructed firmly, as though she would go anywhere else. With a quick nod from Katara, he walked out of the room, careful to avoid the jagged pieces of broken wood as he went. The moment he had gone, Katara relaxed her defensive stance and walked towards the bed, sitting down heavily when she reached it. A deep sigh escaped her throat as she cradled her head in her hands, wondering as she did how it had come to this. Why had Akio tried to kiss her when he knew full well that she had just had an argument with Zuko? Was he trying to comfort her, or take advantage? Why didn't Zuko trust her? Why had he threatened to hurt her, when he had promised never to let her come to any harm? The confusing thoughts whirred in Katara's mind, eventually colliding and adding to her already agonising headache. When she heard the heavy thuds of Zuko's boots on the stairs, she quickly stood up and tried to gather her feelings together, assuming the same position as before and trying not to look as though she had moved.

When Zuko stormed in (_the walk downstairs obviously hasn't calmed him down, _Katara noted) he clutched a piece of rolled up parchment tightly.

"Here." He said viciously, unravelling the parchment, his hard eyes on her at all times.

"A piece of parchment?" Katara asked sceptically. Unless the parchment's contents were written by Zuko and went something along the lines of _I'm really sorry and I love you, _then she wasn't that interested.

"A letter," Zuko corrected harshly. Katara tried to stop herself from flinching back at his tone, and thankfully managed to control herself. "To Jia. From her _boyfriend_. Unlike you, I doubt that Jia would betray the one she loves."

Ignoring the cutting remark, Katara glanced at the parchment dubiously. "That's Jia's personal letter, I really don't think-"

"Jia_ and Akio_…" Zuko cut across savagely, beginning to read regardless. After the first three words however, he stopped and read the rest of the letter in silence, his eyes widening in horror at each word. Once he had finished, his stare flew to Katara who returned it with confusion, her brow crinkling in a silent plea to know what was going on. His hands shaking uncharacteristically, Zuko handed the parchment to her. Almost snatching it from him in anticipation, Katara took the letter from him and read it carefully. With each passing sentence, her heart began beating quicker and her mouth became dryer. By the time she had finished, she was staring in shock at the parchment in her quivering hands. Her eyes slowly lifted to Zuko's, and immediately all thoughts of their argument were forgotten.

"No." she whispered pleadingly, shaking her head slowly. "No…"

_Jia and Akio, _the letter read.

_Keep the Avatar and his companions in Siyu for five more days. There has been an error in calculations, leading to the loss of some of the less-skilful Dai Li agents. The matter was swiftly dealt with, yet it has delayed me slightly. We will attack in five days at midnight, so as to take the Avatar by surprise. It no longer matters about tearing my brother and the Waterbender apart; that was merely a side project I assigned to prevent you getting bored. However, if you wish you may continue. I remember your enthusiasm for such things, Jia. Ensure the Avatar and his friends have no means of escape when I make my move. This will be the last time that the band of "heroes" and myself cross paths._

_Her Royal Highness Princess Azula of the Fire Nation._

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_**A/N:**_

_**I'm so, so sorry that it took me this long to update. The readers who have been with me since "The Journey" will know that I try to leave my updates no longer than a week, but this time I slipped up. I blame coursework…seriously, how much do I need? It's getting ridiculous. Not to mention I had a complete writer's block with certain parts of this chapter; at one point I deleted half of it and rewrote it.**_

_**Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, and hello to my new readers (:**_

_**Thank you to all of my reviewers, you guys inspire me so much and really give me a happy boost :D**_

_**(Oh, by the way, how much like a gorilla did Iroh look in the last few scenes of "Sokka's Master" :P)**_

_**Have a good week,**_

_**- Momo **_

**_EDIT: I restarted my computer three times just so I could get the Internet to stop screwing up and post this chapter...that's how guilty I felt for making you wait so long, lol._**


	11. Love And Compassion

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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"I don't believe this," Katara murmured weakly, re-reading the parchment in her hand. No matter how she read the words on the page, they always meant the same thing:

The whole gang had been tricked, and soon Azula would come to Siyu and kill them all.

"Believe it," Zuko said grimly, gently taking the parchment from her shaking hands and setting it aside onto a small wooden cabinet. His gaze lingered on her burnt wrist, before he forced his eyes elsewhere. He had lost control of his temper and did the one thing he had vowed never to do: he had harmed Katara. How she supposed to forgive him when he would never be able to forgive himself?

_Worry about it later, _he told himself sternly. _Time to focus on the problem at hand. _Tearing his wandering eyes once more away from Katara's wrist, Zuko was startled to see tears dripping silently once more down her delicate face. Every instinct Zuko had told him to stride across the room and envelop her in his arms, to comfort and reassure her, but he didn't want to frighten her anymore than he obviously had already that night. Hesitantly, he took a few steps forward to see how she would react.

"What are we going to do?" Katara asked, her voice hard, much to Zuko's surprise. When she looked up, he realized that her tears of sadness were mixed with cold fury. Her blazing eyes all but ordered him to answer her, and suddenly Zuko felt like smiling. Katara - the one he knew and had fallen in love with - was back, full force. Having been at the brunt of her anger many times, he did not envy Jia or Akio right now.

"We tell the Ava…Aang," Zuko corrected himself quickly, "and we fight them. If Azula's coming in five days, then we really don't have that much time to prepare."

"I can't believe they'd do this," Katara muttered through gritted teeth, her fists clenching and scrunching up the letter. Zuko strode across the room and gently tugged away the parchment, careful not to nudge her burns.

"We need that as evidence," He reminded her softly.

"You're right. I don't think Sokka or Aang will be trusting me anytime soon," Katara agreed with a heavy sigh.

"You did nothing wrong."

"Yeah, right."

Zuko put his hands on her shoulders lightly, gazing down into her sapphire eyes. Almost reluctantly, she looked back.

"You did nothing wrong," He repeated firmly. "You fell in love, that's all."

"I fell in love with the last person they would want me to fall in love with," Katara replied, raising her eyebrows. "In their books, that's pretty bad."

"Do you regret it?" Zuko asked quietly, taking his hands off her shoulders and placing them back at his side. It was a question he still felt the need to ask, even though he dreaded the answer. His face must have conveyed the worried thoughts going through his mind, because Katara smiled at him. Taking a small step forward so that their bodies were touching, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, her full lips meeting his only tenderly, before pulling away again. Elated as he was that Katara had kissed him, Zuko didn't let it show. Instead, he cocked his head to the side.

"I don't think that wasn't really a truthful answer. Maybe if you'd put a little enthusiasm into it, then…" He trailed off mock-suggestively.

"Don't push it," Katara advised, placing her hands in his chest and shoving him very gently away. "I still haven't forgiven you for earlier."

"I don't deserve your forgiveness," Zuko murmured, turning away in shame. "I hurt you, and I can't ever do anything to make that right."

"Forgiveness is an act of compassion and love, regardless of if you deserve it or not." Katara walked around to face Zuko again. Her azure eyes searched his imploringly, silently asking him to listen to her case. "Yes, you hurt me. But I hurt you more, and I don't just mean tonight. I didn't realize what keeping you and me a secret was doing to you, what it was making you think and feel. That didn't give you the right to announce it at the dinner table," she added sternly, "but I can sort of understand why you did it."

"In my defence, Jia told me that it would be a good idea," Zuko said sheepishly. Katara paused, a cloud passing momentarily over her face.

"And she kept trying to convince me why it'd be such a disaster if you told everyone." Katara's face contorted in rage. "That bitch."

Zuko lifted his hand and gently caressed her face, smiling softly as he did. Katara leant into his warm touch lovingly, before sighing.

"I guess they really went to town on trying to break us up," she whispered. Zuko took a step forward and embraced her tightly, resting his chin on the crown of her head.

"They were close, but we're stronger than that. I promise I'll never hurt you again." He vowed, never more determined to stick to his word.

"I believe you," Katara replied, breathing in his soothing scent that made her head spin pleasantly.

Zuko let her go gently, moving back and shaking his head.

"Don't believe me until you've seen it, so that you know for sure," he told her. "I know that my actions were unforgivable tonight, and I don't expect things to be ideal between us for awhile, but I'm determined to make you see only the good side of me."

"Just because I won't see the bad side, doesn't mean it won't still be there," Katara told him sadly. "I'm not asking you to be perfect, just don't lose control like that again. You really scared me."

"I know," Zuko replied heavily. "I'm not so arrogant to think that you'll trust me readily after this…not again."

"It might take some time," Katara agreed, "but it will happen. I love you."

"I love you too." The words sounded so right that he could repeat them for eternity and still the depths of his feelings would not be realized. He cared for Katara more than he had ever cared for anyone. She was the center of his universe, his reason for living…and two twins had tried to take that away from him. Fury bubbled intensely inside him, so much so that smoke began to rise from his tightened fists.

"Zuko?" Katara asked, startled. She took a few steps back from him, her eyes alight with fear.

"Akio is as good as dead," Zuko promised. "I'll kill him myself…that son of a bitch."

"I know how you feel, I really do, but don't you think killing him is a bit extreme?" Katara asked, cautiously edging back nearer to Zuko.

"No." Zuko replied shortly. "He deserves to die for what he's done. So does Jia for that matter, but I wouldn't kill a woman. I could maim her," he added thoughtfully. At Katara's stricken expression, he unfurled his fists and held his hands up defensively. "Kidding. Sorry."

Katara nodded, the horror slowly leaving her eyes. "We should tell the others before we decide on a plan of action."

As if on cue, the door downstairs slammed open fiercely.

"Katara?" Sokka shouted loudly. "You here?"

Katara glanced at Zuko. "Time to face the music," she whispered, taking his hand and squeezing it briefly before walking out the ruined door.

"Yes, upstairs!" She shouted back, before taking a deep breath to compose herself and walking down the stairs. Her legs were shaking, no doubt from the nervousness and trepidation of the screaming lecture she would inevitably receive from her brother and Aang. Her footsteps seemed to echo loudly every time they touched the wooden stairs, making her arrival very public. When she reached the last step, she looked around nervously, too afraid to move onto the floor. Everyone was in the room, including Hin and Kuei, who both looked incredibly puzzled. Toph, Iroh and Jia all wore sympathetic expressions, while Akio leant against the door frame, smirking at her. It took all Katara's strength not to attack the twins right there and then. Instead, she watched Aang and Sokka who stood the furthest into the room, each wearing identical scowls as they averted their eyes from her. Her heart sank sadly as the realization that they were definitely angry with her hit her.

"Just making sure you were alive," Toph said, breaking the awkward silence with a comment. "Which you are. So…good."

"Is my nephew not back yet?" Iroh asked, his old eyes kind as they met Katara's.

"He's upstairs," Katara replied quietly, only too aware what reaction her words would get. She wasn't disappointed. Sokka made a noise of deep revulsion in the back of his throat, while Aang's eyes narrowed further more. Katara made a conscious effort to hide her burnt wrists; this would not do Zuko any favors.

More moments of unbearable silence followed, in which no one dared to breathe for fear of drawing attention to themselves. Finally, Sokka made a move forward.

"I'm going to bed," he said darkly, disgust etched all over his face and evident in his voice. Nobody protested this and he continued walking forward, his footsteps the only sound in the room. As he reached the steps, he passed Katara without a word. Unable to leave alone, Katara reached out her hand and placed it on Sokka's shoulder. He jerked away violently, turning to stare at her, his eyes filled with anger, repulsion and a trace of hurt.

"Sokka…" Katara whispered. Her brother shook his head at her slowly, his face mirroring his frightening eyes, and he carried on his way up the stairs. A few moments later they heard his bedroom door slam, a sound which made Katara flinch. After a moment, she turned to Aang, who hadn't moved.

"Aang…" she pleaded, her brow creased in sadness.

"No, Katara," Aang replied to a question she hadn't needed to ask, his bitter voice filled with something that sounded like regret. Katara bit the inside of her cheeks to stop herself from crying once more as Aang followed in Sokka's footsteps and left the room. He was not as dramatic as Sokka, but the door still shut a little more forcefully than it would've normally.

Again, silence descended on what was left of the group like a black cloud. Katara struggled keeping her tears locked away, and soon she was sure she would draw blood if she carried on biting her cheeks any harder.

"I guess that could've gone worse…" Toph said hesitantly. "At least everyone knows now."

"She's right," Iroh said encouragingly to Katara. "Your brother and the Avatar just need some time to adjust to the idea. They love you and want the best for you, so they will come around soon, I'm sure of it."

Katara nodded wordlessly, not trusting herself to meet anyone's eyes in case they saw the raw emotion her own sapphire eyes were desperately trying to conceal.

"I think I'll go upstairs now," Katara said carefully, slowly turning on the spot and beginning to climb the stairs. As she reached the halfway point on the dark stairway, she heard the murmuring voices below her start talking.

"Would someone mind telling me what's going on?" The Earth King asked, his voice only just distinguishable above all the others. Katara did not bother to strain her weary ears to hear her companions' version of events. They would probably only get it wrong anyway, especially if Jia or Akio were relating the tale. Katara forced one foot in front of the other as she climbed, to numb to feel much besides sorrow. The two people (not including Zuko) who she was closest to in the whole world had effectively abandoned her. Their eyes and expressions had betrayed them the moment they found out about her and Zuko, and that image would never leave Katara's mind. She often found herself wishing for a simpler life where she was free to love and be loved by anyone, regardless of their Nation and family history. But such a place didn't exist in this world anymore. Ever since the war had intensified, there was no trusting other Nations. Distantly wondering if this would ever changed, Katara felt a mild relief when she reached the top of the stairs. Glancing momentarily at the ruins and shattered wood that had once been Jia's door, Katara trudged to her room, wondering as she did where Zuko was.

It was pitch black in the bedroom after the dim light of the corridor vanished as she shut the door, but Katara knew roughly where her bed was. She bumped into random objects occasionally, but it didn't bother her. A sudden wave of sleepiness had washed over her, but, irritatingly, she knew that sleep would elude her. When she finally found her bed, Katara slumped down on it, at first sitting and then lying down. She turned on her side, away from the wall nearest the door, and stared bleakly into the darkness. The tears that she had forced back earlier were returning with a vengeance, escaping from her eyes quicker than she could wipe them away. As moisture trickled down her cheeks, she brought her knees halfway to her chest in the foetal position. As the tears came faster and thicker, a sob escaped her throat. She buried her head further into the bedspread to stop this happening again, but it was too late. A few moments later the bedroom door opened, spilling outside light into the dark room. Assuming this was just Toph going to bed, Katara didn't say anything, but made more of an effort to stop crying…or at least be quieter. There was a slight snap as the door shut, thrusting the room into blackness once more. However, there was still a flicker of light coming from somewhere. Guessing that Toph had brought a candle in, Katara still did not move. Only when light footsteps stopped next to her bed and the small light went out did Katara know that it wasn't Toph.

Zuko's gentle arms scooped her up from the bed and cradled her like a child. Sitting down on the bed, he leant himself against the headboard, before carefully setting Katara down next to him, placing his arms around her quivering shoulders and drawing her close to him wordlessly. As Katara continued to cry into his chest, Zuko kissed her head softly and rested his head on top of hers, willing to wait all night with Katara if it made her feel comforted.

"I love you," he whispered into her head.

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**A/N:**

**Little bit of fluff for you there (: I know this chapter's only short, but it meant I could update sooner. The next chapter will be longer, promise :D**

**Thanks for all your amazing reviews, my reviewers are the best and if I could buy you all diamonds then I would :D**

**I'll leave you with my favourite Azula quote:**

"**My own mother thought I was a monster…she was right of course, but it still hurt."**

**XD**

**Have a good week everyone!**

**- Momo**


	12. Revulsion And Revelations

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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It took an hour for Katara to stop crying completely. Ten or so minutes after Zuko had comforted her, she snuffled something unintelligible. Gently, Zuko lifted her head up from his now sodden shirt and asked her to repeat what she had just said.

"I said I should probably heal my wrists," she repeated, sniffing with every other word she mumbled. "I don't want Sokka and Aang to be mad at you any more than they already are."

Privately, Zuko thought that Katara's brother and the Avatar were only mad at Katara; they already hated Zuko. Still, he kept silent and gently hoisted Katara onto her feet, steadying her when she started to waver dangerously.

"Do you want me to get some water from the bathroom? I can probably find a cup somewhere and fill it from the tap," Zuko offered quietly, doubting Katara's ability to stay on her feet for very long.

"It'd have to be a big cup," Katara pointed out reluctantly. "I've left the…" she paused, and then corrected herself, "I've left my wrists for awhile now. I don't think they'll scar," again, she paused, determinedly keeping her eyes away from Zuko's, "but it'll take more water than it normally does to heal."

"Where's the Spirit Oasis water when you need it?" Zuko asked lightly, trying to make a joke out of the serious situation.

"I _did _need it," Katara said shortly. "It's floating around somewhere in Aang's back right about now."

There was a painfully long pause, in which Zuko resisted the very strong urge to smack his head on the wall. "Right," He said finally, wincing slightly at his own stupidity. "You stay here; I'll only be a couple of minutes."

He saw Katara nod in the dim light, then sit herself down on the nearest bed. He hurried out of the room, worried by Katara's remark that her burns could turn into scars. If they did, he would never be able to look her in the eyes again; he could barely do so as it was. Hurting the one he loved was unjustifiable, but if his stupid, heat of the moment actions caused her scars…

_Focus, _Zuko told himself sternly. _It__'__d be easier to get a large jug, like the ones downstairs. _But did he really want to go downstairs? He had heard Katara's brother and then Avatar storm upstairs a couple of minutes after Katara had gone down, but he didn't know where the rest of the group was. Zuko knew that he wouldn't be able to look at Jia or Akio without trying to kill them, so there was a certain risk in going downstairs. Plus, he'd get that _I__'__m so disappointed in you _look that Iroh had seemed to perfect over the years. With this in mind, Zuko prayed all the harder that there would be some sort of big cup in the bathroom that was only a couple of doors down from Katara and Toph's room. He flung the door open and frantically searched, his eyes flying from one corner to the next. Ignoring the loud banging of the door as it slammed into the wall, he began to scan for any sort of container. But of course, there was nothing that could be of use. Gritting his teeth together in annoyance, Zuko turned around slowly and walked out of the bathroom, shutting the door carefully behind him as he went. The last thing he wanted was for the Avatar or Sokka to wake up and start shouting at him.

_There__'__s nothing left for it, _Zuko inwardly sighed. _I__'__ll have to go downstairs__…_

As he began to climb down the stairs, he wondered when he had become such a coward. He would never usually have been such a coward as to fear a mere lecture from his uncle. _It__'__s because I actually deserve this one, _Zuko noted after a moment. He was descending ever closer to the bottom of the stairs and could hear murmuring voices, indistinguishable at this distance. Taking a deep breath as he reached the last stair, he stepped onto the ground and, averting his eyes, made his way towards the kitchen.

"Zuko!" Iroh's voice rang out warningly. Zuko closed his eyes momentarily and sighed before turning around. Iroh, Toph, Jia, Akio, Kuei and Hin were seated around that fateful dining table, all glaring at him.

"Not now, Uncle." Zuko wasn't surprised to hear his voice was weary.

"Now, Prince Zuko." Iroh's voice was without its normal warmth and cheer. However, Zuko could not let this slow him down. If he was late only by a few minutes, Katara's wrists could completely scar. It was this fear that dominated his mind as he walked away from his uncle. A chair scraped behind Zuko, which only caused him to speed up. The moment he reached the cramped kitchen, Iroh had caught up to him angrily. Zuko glanced over each part of the room as he had with the bathroom, searching for that damned elusive jug. There had to be more than one in use in this inn.

"Zuko, what are you doing?" Iroh's voice was equal parts furious and confused as he faced his nephew. Zuko strode over to a cupboard and threw it open before answering.

"I'm looking for a water jug. Damn it," he added under his breath when there was nothing of use to be found.

"Why?"

"Because I want a jug of water," Zuko answered evasively after a slight pause. He was nowhere near ready to admit to his uncle the monstrous thing that he had done. In fact, he didn't think he would ever be ready.

"That's the worse excuse I've heard in a very long time," Iroh said, allowing himself a small chuckle as Zuko continued searching. "Now, would you care to tell me the real reason?" When his nephew didn't answer, Iroh sighed heavily. "I know where to find what you are looking for, but I won't tell you unless I know why you need it."

Zuko stopped rooting through a cupboard and turned to his uncle, annoyed.

"It isn't important," he snapped. "I just need the jug."

"It obviously is important if you need to lie in order to obtain it," Iroh pointed out wisely. Zuko, knowing that he wasn't going to get the jug any other way, sighed and focused back to the cupboard.

"Katara's hurt," he said, his voice so calm that it sounded cold to his own ears. The only sound in the small kitchen was the rattling and clash of metallic pots and pans as Iroh mulled over his nephew's words.

"Did you do it?" Iroh asked, his voice also calm and steady. Zuko immediately stopped rooting through the cupboard and looked down, a frown creasing his brow. How did his uncle know? More importantly, what would he do? Zuko closed his eyes and clenched his fists, which now rested on the rough counter below the cupboards.

"Yes," he admitted, his teeth gritted. He was so angry at himself, the words were indescribable. The magnitude of what he had done washed over him as silence hung in the air. The gentle hand on his shoulder caused him to wrench his eyes open and look up, shocked. Iroh stood behind him, his expression unreadable.

"Go to her," he said, his tone, like his expression, incomprehensible. "We will discuss this later."

Zuko nodded wordlessly, his throat tight. Iroh surveyed his nephew for another moment, before crossing the room and opening a cabinet that Zuko hadn't noticed, even though it wasn't particularly small. Iroh went through the small space for a second, before pulling out what could only be the water jug that Zuko needed.

"I found the jug this morning," Iroh said, his voice taking on a sheepish note as he handed his nephew the flagon. "I was searching for tea ingredients and, well, they weren't in there."

Zuko didn't quite know what to say to that, so he merely murmured his thanks and left. He ought to be worried about his uncle's ever-growing dependency on tea, but once more Katara was all that could fill his mind.

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By the time Zuko had returned, complete with a water jug filled to the brim, Katara had almost fallen back to sleep. The pain in her wrists was still sharp, but only if she made any sudden movements. With that in mind, she had carefully positioned herself to lie flat on the bed. Wondering what would happen next, Katara had allowed herself to daydream about what life would be like if everything was perfect. There would be no war, she decided immediately. Her mother would still be alive, her family would be reunited and they would have the happiness they always deserved. Zuko, Iroh, Aang and Toph would still be in her life, of course. They would all live together in some magical, sunny place that suited all of their needs. No one would ever fight and life would be ideal.

Then Katara's wrist gave a painful twinge, and she was jerked back to her dark and dismal reality. For how long she lay in silence fighting tears, she didn't know, but when the door opened and Zuko almost stumbled in, she sat up. The Fire Prince was concentrating so hard on not spilling the water in the jug, his eyes were practically popping out. Katara giggled at the sight, earning a withering glance from Zuko.

"I'd like to see you do better," he dared as he set down the jug on the small table next to the bed, dimly illuminated by the light from the outside corridor. He crouched down beside her and watched carefully.

"Considering I'm a Waterbender, it'd seem pretty pointless to try." Katara reached inside of the jug with her uninjured wrist and pulled it out slowly, dragging water with it. In truth, she was terrified that her wrist would scar and the memory of tonight would haunt her forever. Her wrist now trembling with a combination of nerves and awareness, she gently placed the water on her burns.

The pain hit her instantly.

Her wrist was on fire as the healing water glowed brightly in the darkness, each burn ablaze once more as it multiplied. Katara gasped in agony as the healing process set in. Normally when she healed herself, there was minimal pain involved in the few brief moments that the cool liquid touched her skin. Then again, this time was like none before.

"I'm sorry," Zuko whispered as he put his heated hand gently on her arm. His touch was unknowingly boiling on her skin. Katara did not need this added torment and pulled her arm away as gently as she could.

"Really not helping, Zuko," she said softly, her teeth clenched through the pain.

"I'm sorry," Zuko repeated, feeling more helpless than he ever had before.

After a few more seconds it was over. The bluish glow faded from Katara's wrist and she flexed it experimentally. After an initial ache, all was well. Zuko, as softly as he could, took her wrist and scrutinized it, lighting a small flame in the palm of his other hand for better visibility.

"I don't want to do that again," Katara whimpered when Zuko had finished inspecting her wrist. A wave of powerful fatigue had overcome her; healing took a lot of energy, especially when it was healing something like this.

"You'll never have cause to," Zuko promised. Then he smiled, his face lighting up the dim room. "You won't even have any scars. I can only see very small traces of white lines, but they'll be gone over in a few hours, considering the rate you heal at."

"Did you see anyone when you were downstairs?" Katara murmured wearily. Zuko froze.

"I saw my uncle," he replied as carefully as possible. "Why?"

"Did he ask you why you wanted water?" Katara asked, yawning. Zuko set her out on the bed so she would be comfortable.

"Yes," he whispered, pulling the covers over her.

"And what…" she yawned again, "did you tell him?"

"I told him that I'd talk about it in the morning." Zuko kissed her forehead lightly. "Now get some sleep. You'll need it for the coming days, I expect."

"You're not staying?" Katara's weak grip grasped his hand and her brow became slightly lined. Zuko chuckled and set himself free with ease.

"I can't. But I'm across the hall if you need anything, and Toph will be up here soon."

"Love you," Katara breathed, closing her drowsy eyes.

"Love you too," Zuko said, pushing back a stray hair from her face. He straightened and, as quietly as he could, left the darkened room. He pulled the door until it was almost closed, with only a small gap of light showing. Then, with a heavy sigh, he trudged to his own room and went immediately to sleep.

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Katara moaned as intrusive sunlight shone on her face. She turned over, intending to go back to sleep. However, she forgot how small the bed was and rolled off the side, straight onto the hard wooden floor. Muttering curses, Katara opened her eyes and sat up slowly, rubbing her now sore shoulder. Light streamed into the room, bathing everything it touched in radiant beauty and banishing the shadows of the night away. It was hard to remember the reason why she had felt so scared and worried the night before, but a quick glance around the room brought everything back. Her stomach sank unpleasantly at the thoughts and fears that flooded into her mind. After a minute of deliberation, Katara used the bed to hoist herself up onto her feet. Sitting on the floor worrying all day would do no good to anyone.

_I should have a wash, _she decided, taking a few wobbly steps towards the door. The half-filled water jug on the bedside table made her shudder and she cast a fleeting look towards her wrist. It was smooth and unblemished, exactly the way it had been before Zuko…before last night. She intended to repress the previous night as much as possible so she could get on with her life with the man she loved.

"Morning, Sugar Queen," Toph yawned suddenly, making Katara jump. Whirling around, she saw that Toph was still lying down with her eyes shut. As her heart rate returned to normal, Katara smiled.

"I'm sorry I woke you," she said sheepishly. "Go back to sleep."

"That's what I'm going to do," Toph agreed. "But first, how did things go with Zuko last night?"

Katara paused before answering, unsure of how much to give away. "Not well," she admitted after a second. "But I'll tell you later."

"Alright, whatever." Toph rolled over - _without_ falling off, Katara noticed with chagrin - and within seconds was snoring softly again. Smiling a little, Katara started walking towards the door again. She was surprised that Toph hadn't been more insistent; perhaps she had noticed Katara's hesitation and took it as fervent unwillingness to talk about the subject. Either way, Katara was thankful as she set off towards the bathroom, happy that she would be first in to have a wash.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_An Hour Later_---------------------------------------------------------------------

Breakfast that morning was a very awkward event. Everyone avoided eye contact and remained silent. Even the breaths people took were tentative and limited, as though that person was afraid of drawing too much attention to themselves. The meal that morning was some sort of concoction made with oats, milk and a plant that none of them had heard of. Katara barely tasted the food as it slipped down her throat; it could have been poison for all she knew.

_What if it__'__s poison?! _She thought, suddenly panicking as she shot a glare down at her bowl. After a moment of thought, she relaxed. It would be too obvious for Jia or Akio to kill them in such a way, and besides which, Azula wouldn't be happy.

"So…" Toph started, drawing out the monosyllabic word. "What're we doing today?"

Katara raised her eyes to look up at Toph, only to see that everyone else at the table had had the same idea. Her eyes slid over to Zuko, who quickly met her gaze with a smile. Katara smiled back, earning a low growling sound from Sokka. Katara's eyes flew back down to her bowl, both annoyed and a little embarrassed. It was new having everyone aware of her and Zuko's relationship, and would definitely take some getting used to.

"I suggest we look for a new house!" Kuei exclaimed with inexplicable pride. Katara's heart leapt as she considered the possibility that the Earth King knew of Jia, Akio and possibly Hin's involvement with Azula and the Fire Nation and wished to move as soon as possible. Zuko flung his eyes upwards, evidently also thinking this theory.

"Okay, I'll bite," Toph sighed. "Why do we need a new house?"

"Because," Kuei announced dramatically. "I plan to stay in Siyu after you have moved on!"

His 'revelation' was met with silence from the rest of the group, most of who continued eating their breakfasts thoughtfully.

"I've been talking to Hin, and we decided that Siyu is the perfect place for me to settle down. It's natural and will give me a better perspective on life outside Ba Sing Se! Isn't that wonderful?"

The Earth King's enthusiasm was not contagious.

"If you're sure," was all Aang said with a shrug.

"I'm sure," Kuei replied excitedly. "Thank you for rescuing me from Princess Azula's coup, Avatar and friends. I'm quite sure I wouldn't have survived without you."

_Quite sure? _Katara repeated in her mind, sceptically. _You__'__d be deader than dead if it weren__'t__ for us. _However, she smiled and nodded along with the rest of the group, wishing the Earth King good luck with his life.

"But seriously," Toph said after a moment of reflective silence, "what're we doing today?"

"Well, we can go and spread the word about the music night dance tonight if you want," Jia replied with a smile, brushing strands of her luxurious russet hair back. "I'm sure there are plenty of people who'd love to come."

"The more the merrier!" Iroh grinned, speaking for the first time that morning.

"Indeed," Zuko muttered sarcastically, earning withering glares from Sokka and Aang who would hate him no matter what he said. Without rising to the bait, Zuko looked away and scraped up the last of his breakfast on the wooden spoon. "Just where are you planning to hold this music dance night thing again?" he asked once he had finished.

"In the town center probably, it's the largest place in Siyu," Jia replied, gathering together people's empty bowls and stacking them in her arms. "But we'll have to ask the Elders first."

"That's one meeting I'll stay well clear of," Toph muttered, to the murmuring assent of her friends.

"That was excellent, as usual, Jia," Hin complimented his daughter as she took his bowl. An obedient chorus of "thank you" sprang up once Hin had finished his sentence, and Jia smiled captivatingly.

"You're all welcome, it's nice having new people to cook for. If you've got any requests or anything for tonight, then come to either me or Akio."

"We'll sort you out," Akio chipped in, also smiling.

_I__'__ll bet, _Katara thought darkly, giving Jia the bowl wordlessly.

Jia disappeared into the kitchen, coming back after a few moments empty handed.

"So I was thinking," she said amicably, sitting herself back down at the table. "Dad and the Earth King can go and look for a new home. If Akio and I talk to the Elders, Katara, Toph and Iroh spread the word and Zuko, Sokka and Aang gather the instruments needed, then we can have tonight covered in no time."

_She would have to choose the most awkward groups, _Katara inwardly spat, rolling her eyes. _She knows full well that Sokka and Aang hate Zuko even more now. Bitch._

"Or we could have Zuko and Katara alone, if that's what you prefer," Jia carried on sweetly.

"No way," Sokka snarled. "Zuko goes with Iroh, Katara goes with Toph."

"Or Zuko goes on his own," Aang offered.

"Or Zuko goes on his own," Sokka echoed harshly. "That works too."

Katara felt like slamming her head on the table in defeat. She knew that it would take time and effort for her brother and Aang to accept Zuko, but she was impatient. She didn't want to have to choose between them, truthfully didn't know if she could.

"Whatever's best," Jia beamed, waltzing back into the kitchen. "Akio and I will set off in about half an hour, that okay?" she called back, presumably to her father.

"That's fine honey!" Hin called back, leaning back in his chair and relaxing.

"We should get going then," Iroh said, the moment silence had grown amongst the group. "Sokka and Aang, I think it would just be easier to stick to the assigned groups."

Sokka, Aang and Zuko all gave Iroh horrified, pleading looks, to which he ignored. "It will give you all a chance to get to know each other better!" he told them cheerfully.

"I know enough about him to know that I want to kill him," Sokka snarled, not quite low enough to go unheard.

"You just try it, Ponytail-Boy," Zuko threatened.

"'Ponytail-Boy'?" Sokka repeated incredulously. "You used to have a ponytail, so I don't know why you're using that insult on me!" There was a pause. "And this is a warriors' wolf tail!"

Katara smiled at the table, unwilling to draw attention to herself when she was trying so hard not to laugh. After a moment in which she composed herself, she cleared her throat and stood up.

"Iroh's right, let's go." Assuming that everyone would follow her lead, she left the table and walked out the door. The sudden rush of desert heat greeted her pleasantly the moment she stepped out, and she happily basked for a moment.

A few seconds later, the group (minus Jia, Akio, Hin and Kuei) stood assembled outside the inn. Toph grumbled once about the heat, then shut up, arms folded in defiance. Sokka and Aang muttered amongst themselves, shooting the occasional glare at Zuko. Katara shook her head at the boys' immaturity, but remained silent.

"Should we all meet back here in, say, an hour?" Iroh asked, looking around the group.

"An hour?" Katara repeated dubiously. "I think we'll need longer than that. We've got an entire town to invite, they've got to get the instruments ready, and then there are still the decorations and the food and things to sort out." She paused. "I think we're going to need longer than just one day to plan this."

"I'm with Sweetness, but at least it'll get us out of the inn for a bit," Toph shrugged. "Meet back when we've all finished."

"Agreed. We should get in our groups and go now." Katara glanced up in time to see Zuko sigh in defeat and walk cautiously over to Sokka and Aang, who were still whispering conspiratorially. They paused only to give him a dirty look, and then continued. Zuko turned to Katara silently, his eyebrow raised. Katara shrugged helplessly.

Suddenly Sokka and Aang swept over to Katara and each grabbed one of her arms. She stared at them as they began to walk away, taking her with them.

"What are you doing?" She asked, genuinely confused.

"We're kidnapping you," Sokka replied casually.

"Uh…okay." Katara looked back at Zuko, Iroh and Toph to see their expressions mirroring hers. She shrugged again as best she could to show that she was as bewildered as they were, before turning back around and allowing Sokka and Aang to guide her to wherever. Of course, she felt no fear; not only was she sure that Sokka and Aang would never hurt her, but she had recently filled her pouch of water, which now rested comfortingly at her hip. She could make her brother and her friend regret taking her wherever it was that she was being led and that calmed her.

Soon after they had started walking, Sokka and Aang took a left down a random street that Katara had not seen before. They were now standing in a small clearing surrounded by houses.

"Katara," Sokka started uncomfortably, immediately releasing his little sister, as did Aang. "We need to talk."

"And we can only talk in a secluded part of the town where no one will find us?" Katara asked sceptically, her eyebrows raised. "Here I thought that vocally communicating was a universal thing."

"Katara, this is serious," Aang said, no hint of amusement in his tone or expression. Katara immediately sobered up.

"Okay, I'm listening." Her eyes alternated from Sokka to Aang, each obviously deliberating who would talk first. Both seemed so awkward that Katara abruptly knew why they had taken her here.

"This is about Zuko, isn't it?" She scowled.

"Yes," Sokka admitted after a slight pause. At Katara's exasperated sigh, he narrowed his eyes. "We're worried about you."

"You don't need to be!" Katara told him, figuring that she might as well get this over with. "Zuko loves me, and I love him. I know this must be difficult for you to accept, but-"

"Difficult?" Sokka repeated in disbelief. "It's damned near impossible! Katara, this is the guy who chased us for months on end, making our life really hard to say the least. Then, when he decided to give up on trying to kill Aang-"

"Capture," Katara muttered in correction. Sokka ignored her.

"-we get his freaking psychopath of a sister after us, only to find a couple of months down the line that Zuko decided that he _does_ want Aang dead after all, and then the siblings from hell attack you both, killing Aang and getting ready to kill you!"

"Are you done?" Katara asked, eyebrows raised again.

"Not even remotely!" Sokka exclaimed. "I can list all the reasons that Zuko's wrong for you, but by that time the comet will have been and gone. So I'll just settle with asking…" He began to nibble on his bottom lip, a sure sign that he was nervous about whatever he was about to say next. He turned his eyes to the ground and took a deep breath before talking again. "With asking if he…if he's making you say all of this."

The words came out in a rush, but Katara understood them clearly. She stared at her brother in astonishment.

"I mean," Sokka continued, talking quickly and getting more uneasy by the second, "it'd make sense if he's just telling you to say that you love him, when you really don't. To be honest I wouldn't put it past him if he was making you…do things. Don't get me wrong I pray to the Gods that he isn't and I will personally kill him if he's so much as touched you but I wouldn't be surprised."

Katara was speechless for a moment as Sokka caught his breath after his ridiculous rush of words. When Katara found her voice, it was not a happy one.

"Sokka…" she started, her voice shaking with anger. "What the hell?"

"I don't see how you can love him, is all. He's everything that you hate and I just had a theory. But now that you're standing there glaring at me, I'm guessing that my theory is wrong." His voice had shrunk and he nervously met her furious eyes.

"If you think…" Katara breathed in rage, "that I would _ever _let someone use me like that, then you don't know me at all! I know that it must be very difficult for you to comprehend, but I love him! He kept me sane in the Ba Sing Se dungeons, he's fought for me, alongside me-"

"Against you," Aang cut in quietly. Katara turned to her young friend. How could he possibly understand how she feels? _Because he feels that for you, _a voice said in the back of her mind. A surge of pity swept through her as she saw the shining pain in Aang's gray eyes.

"I can't help who I fall in love with," Katara said gently, mostly for Aang's benefit. Then her voice became harder as she directed her words at her brother. "But even if I could, I wouldn't change anything. There's a whole different side to Zuko that you'll see when you get to know him."

"I suppose you're right," Sokka sighed, and immediately Katara became suspicious, waiting for some sort of insult to follow. "It's just kind of hard to look past the arrogance, stupid pride, anger and inability to stick to one side." _And there's the insult, _Katara thought, not at all surprised.

"No matter how much I stand here and tell you what a great guy Zuko is, you won't believe me until you even begin to accept him. But trust me, you _are_ going to accept him. Because I love him, and he's a major part of my life now," Katara said, her stern eyes flickering between her brother and Aang.

"Choose," Sokka said suddenly. Katara snapped her eyes to him.

"What?" She asked, even though she knew perfectly well what he had said.

"If I told you to choose between him and us," Sokka indicated himself and Aang, "then who would you pick?"

"I don't know," she said truthfully. Katara knew that it was a possibility that she would eventually have to choose, but she didn't dare to think that Sokka or Aang would actually command her to pick.

"You would choose that bastard over your own family?"

"Sokka, I don't know, can't we please just drop this?" Katara begged, beginning to think that she should've just lied. "Or is this what it's going to be like every time I have a decision to make? What if Zuko asks me to marry him, or we decide that we want to have kids, or whatever?"

Sokka looked like he would have a heart attack at the mention of marriage and children, but luckily this rendered him speechless, leaving Katara to continue.

"I know that it's hard for you, but please just accept that I'm happy." Katara gazed meaningfully at Sokka to show her integrity.

"You could be happy with someone else," Sokka insisted stubbornly. Katara felt like doing Sokka's trademark forehead slap, but instead took a deep breath and prayed for patience. "Like Aang or Akio."

Katara ignored the first name that Sokka mentioned, knowing it would only cause Aang embarrassment, and instead focused on Akio.

"Do you really think I'd be happy with Akio? You don't even know what kind of guy he is! He kissed me last night." There was a gasp from both Sokka and Aang, which she found oddly gratifying. "He made sure that Zuko could see us and he kissed me. And afterwards he was really cold, telling me that Zuko would never change - don't say anything!" Katara warned her brother who had just opened his mouth. Sokka closed his mouth with a reluctant snap. "Later on Zuko found a letter to Jia…"

Katara, throwing caution to the wind, carried on to tell Sokka and Aang the contents of the letter and who it was from, conveniently glossing over the part that led to Zuko showing her the letter.

"I don't have it on me," Katara finished, "but if we go back to the inn then I can get it you. That is, if you don't believe me." She glared accusingly, daring the boys to doubt her.

Sokka was white under his usually tanned skin, staring in horrified disbelief at the ground. Aang's brow was creased as he too realized the implications of what Katara had just revealed. Moments passed in silence as Katara waited for the news she had just delivered to sink in.

"Kind of puts me dating Zuko in perspective, huh?" She joked weakly, earning no response for a few more seconds.

"So…Azula's coming in-"

"Four days, yeah," Katara nodded, interrupting a stunned Sokka. "But that's more than enough time to prepare to-"

"Fight?" Aang interjected sharply. Katara turned to him, surprised at the harshness of his voice.

"Well, yes. I was going to suggest that we try to get some of the townspeople on our side. Assuming of course they're not all in cahoots with Jia and Akio…" She mused, lost in speculation.

"Katara, the last time I saw Azula I ended up dead with a gaping hole in my back. I'm not exactly enthusiastic at facing her again."

"I understand that Aang, I really do, but it's different this time!" Katara said, her eyes shining with conviction.

"Because you're boyfriend's not attacking _us _now?" Sokka asked severely, rounding on his little sister.

"Well, partly," Katara replied quickly, knowing that she was slowly losing the argument. "But also because this time we have the whole group together. We're at a disadvantage with the lack of substantial earth and water, but aside from that we have bending masters of the four elements all basically at full power."

"Whereas all Azula has are the armies of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation at her disposal, plus the Dai Li. I don't see why she doesn't just give up now," Sokka said, bitingly sarcastic.

"Look, this isn't my fault," Katara snapped back. "In a moment we can find Iroh and ask him about tactics, seeing as he's the seasoned war general amongst the group."

"Do it when we get back. We can't right now," Sokka frowned.

"Why not?" Katara challenged.

"We have a music night to organise." Sokka walked off down the narrow passageway, leaving an incredulous Katara and Aang standing there. Just as he was about to turn off onto the street, Sokka glanced back. "Well, we have to keep up pretences!" He shouted in way of explanation.

Aang shrugged wordlessly and ran after Sokka. Katara began to follow slowly.

"At least it got them off my back about Zuko," she muttered to herself.

**A/N:**

**Well, this chapter's longer, like I promised (: Hope you liked it. My coursework's piling up, but I'm definitely not going to abandon this story. Instead, updates will come a little further and fewer between. But don't worry, I won't leave updates longer than two weeks.**

**In the meantime, can anyone think of a good name for Jia and Akio's inn? It doesn't have to be a Chinese or Japanese name…it doesn't even have to make sense. I just want to see what people come up with :D The suggestions will be posted next chapter, unless you don't want me to put yours down. Tell me either in a review or a PM if you have any suggestions please (:**

**Thank you for your amazing reviews last chapter, glad to see you all enjoyed the fluff :D**

**Have a good week,**

**- Momo**


	13. Call It Compensation

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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A/N:

Raea is pronounced Ray-a. Enjoy the chapter (:

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"You do realise that this is all your fault, don't you?"

"Zuko, these people have never experienced the delights of a music night! Living in the desert so close to Ba Sing Se at times like these must be worrying for them; don't you think that they deserve a night free from worry?" Iroh's voice was laden with attempted persuasiveness.

Zuko, Iroh and Toph had been arguing (well, Zuko had been arguing) for the past few minutes about the upcoming music night. No matter what he said, the other two would not see Zuko's side of it. They were all still outside of the inn, having decided to wait until Katara, Sokka and Aang came back.

"In other words, lighten up Princey," Toph supplied, leaning against the wall of the inn.

"It's just we've got so much work to do in the space of about three hours," Zuko complained. He was trying to get his mind off whatever Sokka and the Avatar were telling Katara. He wouldn't put it past them to try to brainwash her into believing that Zuko hated her, or something ridiculous like that. Toph meanwhile was still talking.

"Chasing the Avatar and his friends halfway around the world, yeah, sure, no problem. But when faced with _hard work…_" Toph trailed off, pretending to shudder.

"Hey, following the Avatar was hard work," Zuko scowled. He hated anyone bringing that up, especially when they mocked him for failing.

"It was trying to capture a twelve year old boy, a teenage girl who splashes in puddles and her brother who can't tell the right way up of a spear, how hard could it have been?" Toph raised her eyebrows at him, and Zuko had a sneaking suspicion that she was enjoying this.

"It was the Avatar, a master Waterbender and a warrior," He corrected, not quite sure why he was calling Sokka a "warrior".

"Katara wasn't a master until she reached the North Pole," Toph pointed out smugly.

"But she was quite…look," Zuko said, flustered. "They had a flying bison, I had a ship. Do the math and work out which one's faster."

"Actually, we did manage to catch up to them quite a few times," Iroh mused.

"Uncle, whose side are you on?" Zuko asked in annoyed exasperation.

"Probably mine, because he knows I'm right," Toph smirked. Zuko opened his mouth to argue, but quickly shut it again. What would be the point in retaliating? Toph would only continue to irk him, which wouldn't end well for anyone.

"Zuko, are you sure that Katara, Aang and Sokka are actually coming back?" Iroh asked, breaking Zuko's frustrated silence. "There was something about the word 'kidnapping' that seemed rather final."

"They've probably gone off to do their part for tonight." Toph shrugged herself off the wall and stretched. "Which we should also do."

"You're probably right," Zuko murmured, although he couldn't help checking the direction that Katara had left in. Then, before Toph could say anything triumphant, Zuko added, "There's a first time for everything."

"And yet here we are, still waiting for _you_ to be right about something," Toph replied, starting to walk off. Iroh chuckled and started after her. Zuko stood speechless, unable to come up with a suitable comeback. He sighed and trudged after his uncle and Toph, already fed up.

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"Sokka, we don't need twenty pounds of cactus plant," Katara groaned. This was the reason that she hated taking Sokka anywhere. In the past hour and a half they had managed to alert most of the town of tonight's activities (it was amazing how fast Sokka could get things done when Katara promised him food at the end of it) but the moment they had ambled past the marketplace, Sokka had come to a grinding halt.

"It isn't twenty pounds of normal cactus plant! It's spiced!" Sokka whined, sounding like a six year old.

"And seasoned," the stall holder chipped in.

"And seasoned!" Sokka repeated, jutting out his lower lip pleadingly. "Come on Katara, I'm sure the town loves seasoned, spiced cactus!"

"They sure do!" The stall holder grinned.

Katara turned to the man, frowning. "You - shut up, you're not helping." She turned back to her brother. "You - stop complaining. It isn't our job to get food yet. Once we've told everyone about tonight, then we can come back and maybe get some cactus."

Sokka grinned idiotically, clearly pleased by this proviso. Aang, who had been talking/flirting with a nearby girl looked up to see Katara watching, a sly smile on her face. Aang blushed and hastily bade the girl farewell.

"She was kind of cute," Katara said conversationally, leaving the market and carrying on down a dusty street. Sokka was trailing behind, knocking on every door and delivering the news.

"I guess," Aang shrugged awkwardly. "But she's no you."

Katara knew that this would happen sooner or later. She had expected it to be later, but never mind.

"Aang," she started. There had been a whole speech she had prepared, but it had suddenly disappeared. "I know how hard it must be seeing me with Zuko."

"No you don't," Aang muttered childishly. Katara shrugged; she couldn't argue with that one.

"No, I really don't," she agreed. "But I just want you to know that I'm happy with Zuko, happier than I ever thought I could be. He isn't the same person who he used to be. He's changed, and you have no idea how much I wish you could just see that."

"I don't get it though!" Aang almost shouted. Katara stared at him, alarmed. They had both stopped walking.

"Hey, what-" Sokka started. He took one look at his sister and friend and gestured to somewhere else. "I'll be over here."

As he conspicuously walked off, Katara sighed at her young friend. "What don't you get?"

"You hate each other!" Aang spluttered. The few people walking along the street gave the pair a peculiar look, followed by a wide berth.

"You know what they say about love and hate," Katara said, smiling weakly.

"That you shouldn't fall in love with someone you hate? Yeah, I've heard that." Aang sulked.

Katara sighed again. How was she supposed to explain this?

"You don't understand, that's fine. I'm not asking for your understanding. I'm not even asking for your blessing, although that'd be great. Just, please, try to accept Zuko. Like I said before, he's a major part of my life now. He'll be fighting with us against his father and sister, surely that tells you something?" Katara fidgeted for a moment, cursing the desert heat. Her clothes were beginning to stick to her skin, and as soon as they got back to the inn, she was taking a shower.

"I can't say that I'm happy for you," Aang said slowly after a moment of extended silence. "But I want you to be happy. If that makes sense."

"It does," Katara smiled. "Thank you."

"Just don't expect me to…" Aang stopped and bit his lip. Color rose in his cheeks and he looked away. "I can't stop loving you just like that."

Katara felt a swell of pity. Wordlessly, she hugged Aang motherly. After she released him, they both continued to walk down the street. Katara felt awkward beyond belief (someone admitting their unrequited love for her tended to have that effect) and tried to cast around for something to say.

"You know, I think Toph might have a little crush on you," she teased eventually. Toph would kill her for saying that…Katara didn't even know if it was true.

"No way," Aang said, the corners of his mouth lifting up into a slight smile. "Really?"

"Yeah," Katara nodded, figuring she might as well assume it was true. Sokka came running up to join them, panting as he slowed down.

"That's…that row of…houses done," He breathed heavily, putting his hand over his heart. "Oh and…Iroh and Toph…are over there."

"Where's Zuko?" Katara asked, immediately concerned. Sokka waved a hand carelessly.

"He's there too," he said, regaining his breath and speaking with disdain. Katara scowled at her brother's dismissal of Zuko.

"You know, some time soon the whole 'ignoring or insulting Zuko' thing is going to get old with me. You can accept that Zuko and I are a couple, or you can…well, actually I'm not giving you a choice." Katara glared at her brother, unsure of where the rant had just come from. Regardless, she wasn't about to stop now. "Zuko is important to me and I love him. I've always been supportive of you, always accepted your decisions without question. Well, without much question. But now I need you to trust me. Forget your prejudices and accept us."

In the time that Katara had spoken, Iroh, Toph and Zuko had joined the group.

"What she said." Zuko stood next to Katara and put his arm around her shoulders. Katara jumped slightly; she hadn't realised that Zuko was there. Quickly, however, she settled into his chest and smiled up at him. It was their first public display of affection, and Katara had to say that she didn't hate it.

"They're happy together, just leave 'em be, Snoozles," Toph sighed.

"What about Aang?" Sokka asked, outraged. "He's just as upset as I am about it!"

"Actually, he's pretty accepting," Katara said, shrugging as best she could with Zuko's arms around her. "So that leaves you, Sokka."

"The phrase 'if you can't beat them, join them' would probably be applicable here," Iroh suggested lightly.

"I don't like it." Sokka growled. "But I guess if you're happy…"

"I am," Katara promised happily, wriggling free of Zuko to rush forward and fling her arms around Sokka in a hug.

"Besides," Sokka continued, stepping carefully out of Katara's embrace, "we'll need all the help we can get now that we know what Jia and Akio are up to."

There was a pause, in which Toph and Iroh frowned.

"You guys didn't know?" Sokka asked timidly.

Toph's frown deepened. "Know what?"

Katara and Zuko exchanged glances.

"You tell it," Zuko said quickly, before she could ask him.

"Damn," Katara muttered.

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So they wouldn't be overheard, the group slipped down a deserted side alley for privacy. Toph swore loudly when Katara finished re-telling the story.

"Careful, Toph," Zuko murmured, absentmindedly stroking Katara's hair. "I'm beginning to think you're not the delicate little girl I once thought you were."

Katara smiled and rested her head against Zuko's chest again. Now that everyone knew about Jia and Akio's treachery, she felt better. They could start planning what they would do, what weapons they would need. Once Toph stopped swearing, that was.

"Bite me, Princey," Toph snarled. "I can't believe you two didn't say anything this morning!"

"We couldn't," Katara defended quickly. "Not with Jia and Akio three feet away. But that doesn't matter anyway. We all know now, so we should start planning,"

"You aren't seriously suggesting that we face Azula?" Sokka asked his sister incredulously. "There are six of us, and way too many of Azula's armies to even consider fighting."

"No, I was-" Katara began.

"We could just fight Jia and Akio," Aang suggested, cutting across.

"Or we could-" Katara tried again.

"That wouldn't stop Azula from coming," Zuko muttered to Aang, shaking his head in thoughtful disagreement. "We need something else."

"Why don't we listen to what Katara has to say?" Toph asked loudly, stamping on the dry ground with her foot, causing it to rumble slightly. Everyone glanced from Toph to Katara, who smiled.

"Thank you Toph. I was saying that I think we should just run now." Her companions stared at her. "Well, not right this second, obviously," she elaborated, rolling her eyes. "But over the next couple of days. We've got Appa in the stable nearby, we can escape pretty easily."

"I don't think Jia or Akio will just let us fly right out from under their noses," Aang started doubtfully.

"That's why we have to go when the whole town is distracted," Katara told him, speaking slowly so that everyone understood what she was trying to say.

"It'd have to be something pretty big for an entire town not to notice…oh," Sokka trailed off from his scornful words, his eyes wide with comprehension.

"We wouldn't have much time to plan," Zuko said, frowning.

"We don't need a plan," Katara told him. "We just need to get out of Siyu. There's no way they can stop us when we're in the air, especially considering it'll be dark tonight."

There was a moment of contemplative silence, in which everyone considered this plan.

"So…does this mean no music night?" Iroh asked with genuine sadness.

"Yes, Uncle, it means no music night," Zuko sighed, shaking his head at Iroh.

"But we could always have a music night when we're out of Siyu," Katara suggested, smiling kindly.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that," Zuko muttered. He glanced at Katara slyly. "Otherwise I just don't think I could love you anymore."

Katara laughed, but Sokka perked up.

"She said it alright, she said it loud and clear. I'm sure she could say it again repeatedly."

He received glares from everyone present, besides Aang who didn't look at anyone, and hastily put his hands up. "Just kidding," he said, although it was clear that he hadn't been.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, otherwise I'd have to kill you," Katara said, smiling dangerously at her brother.

"He said it alright, he said it loud and clear," Zuko quipped, much to the others' laughter. Sokka scowled but said nothing.

"So, I assume you've invited everyone for music night tonight?" Iroh asked quickly, hoping to break up a fight that may or may not happen.

"Most of the town knows, yeah," Aang replied. "The ones we haven't told will find out by word of mouth anyway. Did you do…whatever it was you were doing?"

"We asked around for instruments, but didn't get very far. There were some crude instruments that people have offered to bring for tonight…I think it'll just be mainly singing though." Whilst Iroh didn't seem at all put off by this idea, Zuko visibly shuddered.

"Grow up," Katara teased him. "I'm sure Iroh knows some great songs."

"Indeed," Iroh agreed enthusiastically. Then his face dropped, so fast it was comical. "Not that I'll get to sing any of them tonight."

"Sure you will," Katara argued. "You'll just be singing them on the back of Appa as we fly away from where everyone else will be singing."

"Speaking of," Toph interjected, "we still need to figure out the basics of the plan."

Sokka shrugged. "Appa's stable isn't far from the gates…which luckily is nowhere near the town center. Besides, even if the townspeople do see us with Appa, we can tell them that we're taking him for a walk or something."

"Or something," Katara repeated. "We can think of a better excuse later on."

"So the invitations and the instruments are more or less sorted," Aang said thoughtfully. "We've still got the decorations and the food. There's gotta be some spare lanterns around here somewhere, and if people bring their own food then that's that done."

"Gosh Twinkletoes, I never knew what a party planner you were," Toph commented dryly.

"It's my part-time job, alongside jewellery making" Aang shrugged. Katara and Sokka laughed, but no one else understood the reference.

"Are we supposed to understand that?" Zuko murmured into Katara's ear. She laughed again and shook her head.

"Good," Zuko whispered, relieved. Katara smiled and leant against him, savouring his scent.

"Can we go and my cactus now?" Sokka moaned.

"You're buying him a cactus?" Toph asked, her eyebrows raised. "After what happened last time, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"It's only cactus plant parts, definitely none of the juice," Katara replied, biting back a smile as Sokka narrowed his eyes at Toph. "Besides, I told him that I'd buy him some if he was good."

"Thus adding to my theory that Snoozles is, in fact, a three year old," Toph muttered, making sure she was loud enough for the others to hear.

Again, Katara forced herself not to laugh. "Come on, we'd better be getting back to the inn."

"Arrive in the same groups that we left in, so it doesn't look like we've been conspiring," Iroh suggested. Then his face split into a grin. "Or, better idea, why don't we arrive in the same groups that Jia put us into?"

"Yeah," Katara said quickly before any of the boys could object. "Good idea, Iroh."

"I thought so," Iroh smiled smugly.

"Jia told us that anything we buy here we can charge it to her family, so Sokka, you should get your cactus on the way back." Katara suggested.

"Anything we buy?" Toph repeated, an evil smile creeping up her lips. "I intend to take full advantage of that."

"We do need supplies," Aang agreed. "It's going to be a long trip into the Fire Nation."

"Yeah, and if any of the townspeople ask, then we can just tell them that it's for tonight!" Katara said excitedly.

"Calm down," Zuko chuckled.

"I like free things," Katara pouted up at him.

"So do I," Sokka pressed. "So let's go get my cactus!"

Katara groaned, pulled away from Zuko and turned to her brother. "Fine. You want cactus, go get cactus. Meanwhile, Iroh, Toph and I will do the sensible thing and go get some supplies. You'll get back before us, so we'll see you later." She kissed Zuko on the cheek, smiled to Aang and sighed at Sokka, before turning and walking out of the alley. Toph shrugged and followed Katara's lead.

"Play nice, children," Iroh advised, before winking and walking off. As soon as he had gone, Sokka rounded on Zuko.

"Let's get one thing straight," he started threateningly.

_Here we go, _Zuko inwardly sighed.

"I don't trust you. I have never trusted you and I never will trust you. I don't like you being with my sister and if I had things my way, you wouldn't even be on the same planet as her. But she seems happy." Sokka sounded grudging now. "Happier than she's been for a long time. And I don't want to mess that up for her. But just so you know, if you ever hurt her in any way, then you'll know about it." He paused, considering his last words. "Know about it in the sense that you'll wake up with a spear sticking out of your head," he clarified. "And that's if I'm feeling generous."

"I would never hurt Katara. I love her," Zuko murmured sincerely. "Also, wouldn't I be dead if you stuck a spear through my brain?"

"I could stick it somewhere else if you prefer," Sokka offered innocently.

"Through the head will be just fine," Zuko nodded. "But if I had done something to deserve that, then I'd be dead already. Do you think I'd be able to live with myself if I hurt her that much?"

"Considering what you did in Ba Sing Se, I think the answer to that is pretty obvious," Aang scowled.

"I've changed," Zuko scowled back. He couldn't help it; it was like instinct to hate the boy that had once been his only obstacle in the path to return home.

"So we keep hearing."

"Katara trusts me, isn't that enough?" Zuko asked Sokka, tiring of this conversation.

"She's trusted a lot of people who turned out to be bad for her," Sokka said, a hard edge to his tone.

"But has she ever openly admitted her love for those people? Has she risked everything to be with those people?" When neither Sokka nor the Avatar answered, Zuko nodded, satisfied. "Right then."

"I violently dislike you," Sokka informed the Prince after a moment.

Again, Zuko nodded. _Well, it's a step down from hate._

"Do you want to get some leechee nuts at the market?" Sokka asked Aang, and Zuko knew that their 'conversation' was over.

"Yeah sure," the young monk shrugged. "Momo loves them and I need to give something to Appa."

"I don't think a few nuts will be enough for a ten ton bison, Aang," Sokka rolled his eyes. The two boys began to walk casually off, discussing the pros and cons of various fruits and vegetables to give to Appa. After a moment, Zuko trailed behind. He felt a little brighter, knowing that soon Siyu would be a distant memory.

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"I wonder if they sell solid gold at this market?" Toph mused, walking past various stalls and stopped whenever she pleased.

"If they had solid gold to sell, then I don't think they'd be selling it here," Katara replied, wistfully running her hand over a selection of dresses made for special occasions.

"Get one," Iroh said gently. Katara jumped, and quickly withdrew her hand as though she had been burned. "They're free," he reminded her.

"I can't," Katara said regretfully. "We should only take what's absolutely necessary now that there's much less room on Appa."

"A dress will mean that you fit in at any grand events, plus it's beautiful. And did I mention it was free?" Iroh grinned. Katara laughed and looked back to the dresses thoughtfully.

"I can make one in your size in less than an hour," the stallholder, and old woman with kind eyes, told Katara softly. "I take it you'd want the dress entirely in blue?"

"Please," Katara nodded. She quickly glanced at Toph, who was chatting to a nearby girl animatedly. "And one for my friend too, in green, if possible."

"Of course dear," the woman beamed. "I assume you're charging to Hin's family? He told us that that would be okay."

Katara felt a stab of guilt; she had only thought of taking monetary revenge on Jia and Akio, not on their father. Still, she nodded wordlessly and tried to smile. The woman, still smiling cheerfully, bustled away. When Katara checked behind her, she saw that Iroh too had gone.

A girl around Katara's age sat on a seat behind where the recently vacated stallholder had been standing. She smiled timidly at Katara, her face barely visible behind a curtain of mahogany hair.

"You can go if you want," the girl said shyly to Katara, her voice barely above a whisper. "My grandmother might be awhile. She probably finds it an honor to make dresses for the Avatar's companions." The girl laughed, a light, tinkling sound, but then frowned worriedly. "I mean, it is an honor, of course! We appreciate your choice to, uh, choose us as your-"

"It's okay, I know what you meant," Katara smiled, cutting the girl off from her frenzied apology.

"Oh, good." The girl looked visibly relieved. Then, as if remembering her manners, she jumped to her feet and bowed. "My name is Raea."

Katara returned the bow, and introduced herself, still smiling. She couldn't help it; there was something about this girl that made her happy.

"I know," Raea shrugged when Katara said her name. Then she blushed deeply, a sudden rush of crimson coloring her dark cheeks. "You've been the talk of Siyu ever since you came. Well, not just you, the whole group…it isn't everyday that something as exciting as this happens."

"Trust me, I'm nothing special," Katara replied, a small note of bitterness and regret entering her tone unwillingly. At Raea's confused look, Katara quickly changed the subject. "So, will we see you at the music night tonight?"

"It's doubtful," Raea admitted. "I don't go in for that sort of thing much."

"Oh, go on," Katara encouraged. "I don't want to be the only girl my age there."

"You won't be," Raea assured her. "Jia is going as well, right?"

"Yeah," Katara admitted reluctantly before she could stop herself. Worried that she might have offended one of Jia's friends with her tone, she quickly glanced at Raea's reaction. To her surprise, the girl laughed.

"I don't like her either," she told Katara. "But don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks," Katara grinned sheepishly. "Anyway, _please _come tonight. I know I've only just met you and all, but it'll be great having someone my own age to talk to…besides Jia that is."

"Well…alright," Raea relented, smiling tentatively. "Just don't leave me alone at any point at the risk that I get called on to dance."

"Alright," Katara laughed. "But only if you do me the same favor,"

"Agreed. Who organised this thing anyway?"

"Oh, it was Iroh. Apparently he loves things like that," Katara shrugged, rolling her eyes jokingly.

"General Iroh," Raea repeating thoughtfully. "That's your boyfriend's uncle, right?"

"Zuko's not my-" Katara started automatically before cutting herself off at Raea's look. "How did you know?"

"Talk of the town, remember?" Raea smiled slyly. "Besides, news travelled fast after…what happened in Ba Sing Se."

"The first time or the second?" Katara asked light-heartedly, avoiding the pain that accompanied the terrible memories. When Raea didn't answer, looking uncomfortable, Katara forced a laugh. "I can't believe a whole town knew before my brother did. Don't tell him that; he'll flip."

"He didn't know?" Raea asked, her moss colored eyes wide.

"Neither did Aang," Katara murmured conspiratorially. Raea's eyes went even wider in disbelief and Katara chuckled.

The girls spent a comfortable while chatting amicably, the topic inevitably turning to boys. Raea fervently denied liking anyone, but every so often her eyes would stray to the young man in charge of the furniture stall.

"Is he going tonight?" Katara asked, a little too casually.

"I don't know," Raea stammered, blushing.

"You should ask him," Katara suggested. "You never know, he might like you back."

"Or he might laugh in my face, tell his friends and then I'll be made fun of for the rest of my life."

"Well, aren't we Little Miss Pessimist?" Katara teased. "Go on, you might as well."

Raea opened her mouth to reply, but swiftly shut it again when Toph stormed up. Katara raised her eyebrows at her friend's mood.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"I'm hungry. And hot. And bored."

"In that order?" Katara joked. Toph narrowed her blind eyes. "Okay, not the time for jokes. We can go as soon as our dresses are ready."

"Dresses?" Toph repeated dangerously.

"As long as we were getting free stuff, I figured it'd be best that we got some formal wear, you know, in case we ever need some. We don't have to wear them tonight."

"Damn straight," Toph grumbled. "I hate dresses."

Katara turned to Raea and shrugged helplessly. "How long do you think the dresses will take to make?"

"About another ten minutes," Raea replied, shy once more now that she was in another's presence.

Katara considered this. She desperately wanted to get back to the inn and have the last shower she would enjoy for a long time. Plus, they needed to think out some sort of worst-case scenario plan. _Which, let's face it, we'll probably need, _she thought glumly.

"Could you do me a huge favor, Raea?"

"Um, I'll try."

"Would you mind taking the dresses tonight and we can pick them up there? It's just that I really need to get back and sleep," Katara pleaded.

"Sure," Raea murmured, once again hiding behind the curtain of her hair.

"Thanks," Katara grinned. "Take a few extra silver pieces - courtesy of Jia - for the effort."

Raea grinned back, unable to resist taking money from the girl she hated. "So I'll see you tonight."

"Yep," Katara nodded. "It was really nice meeting you."

"You too," Raea replied happily.

Toph cleared her throat loudly and impatiently. Katara rolled her eyes as the pair started to walk away.

"Alright, I'm coming! Do you know where Iroh got to?"

"He went back to the inn with a ton of stuff. 'Supplies' he called them, though there was something there which smelled suspiciously like jasmine."

"I guess he's got to get the things he likes too," Katara shrugged. As she walked past the furniture stall, she paused. "Give me a minute," she told Toph.

"Whatever," Toph muttered. She was bored beyond belief; there was no explaining how dull a market could be when you can't actually see anything. She briefly wondered how the others back at the inn were faring without Katara's calming influence. _I bet Twinkletoes and Snoozles are gonna kill Princey unless Sugar Queen gets back soon, _she silently snorted, both at the thought and at the over-abundance of nicknames.

When Katara came back, she had a smile on her face.

"What?" Toph asked suspiciously, sensing the spring in Katara's step.

"Nothing," Katara replied innocently. "But I have a feeling that Raea won't mind me leaving halfway through music night…she'll be too distracted by her new boyfriend."

"Did you meddle again?" Toph accused. " 'Cause you know you're not supposed to do that."

"My meddling is a good thing, on occasion," Katara objected.

"No it isn't!" Toph answered, laughing despite herself. "When it hasn't gotten us all into trouble it's…no, wait, it's always gotten us into trouble. All I can say is, I'm glad I wasn't with you from the beginning. The stories your brother and Twinkletoes tell…"

The girls kept up their playful argument until they reached the inn. Then the heavy weight of what they would do that night descended and tension rose.

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**A/N:**

**Kind of a fillerish chapter if you ask me, but the next one's going to be big ;)**

**I had some great suggestions for the name of Jia and Akio's inn:**

**Uragirimono Inn - Shadowsole**

**Jiakio's - Luiz4200**  
**Mokuzou Inn - Insane Elvish Vampire Pirate And The Demented Hobbit Ninja**

**Acqua Del Fuoco Inn - pureangel86**

**Most of you guys gave me multiple ideas, but I picked the best ones from your lists (: I dare you to say "Jiakio" ten times fast and not laugh. I just failed :P**

**Last chapter I got my 100****th**** review for "Never Too Late" and just want to say a huge thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far :D Ogro was my 100****th**** reviewer, and also suggested some good themes for the name of the inn (:**

**Huge thank you to my reviewers once again, and hope you all have a good week :D**

**- Momo**


	14. Now Or Never

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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The mood was tense and silent when Toph and Katara entered the inn. Aang sat alone, his eyes distant. It took Katara a moment to realize that Sokka and Zuko were absent from the scene. Iroh stood up in greeting from the table, inclining his head to them silently. Toph went straight to were Aang was sat and started talking in low, hurried tones to him, leaving Katara to take a seat opposite Iroh at the table.

"Where are Sokka and Zuko?" She asked, as soon as she had sat.

"They went to load Appa up with the supplies I bought before," Iroh told her kindly, seeing the panicked look in her eyes. "They should be back anytime soon; they left quite awhile before you arrived."

Katara nodded quietly, contemplating the state her brother and the man she loved would come back in.

"Aang should've gone in place of Zuko," Katara muttered, glaring down at the table. "The body count would be less that way."

Iroh chuckled quietly. "I'm sure that they won't harm each other…that much. Your brother is more or less accepting of your relationship with Zuko, and I know that my nephew would not want to cause you any pain by fighting with Sokka."

Katara nodded again, comforted by these words even if they weren't strictly true. She glanced up from the table in time to see Iroh look uncomfortable.

"Last night…" Iroh started hesitantly. Katara's heart leapt quickly, although she was sure that Iroh could not be talking about what she thought he was talking about.

"Was intense," she cut him off.

"Yes," Iroh mused, choosing his words carefully. "I ran into Zuko when he was searching for a jug to fill with water…"

Katara's mouth went dry.

"Oh yeah?" She asked, trying to sound disinterested. "He was probably just thirsty."

Iroh laughed. "That's the excuse he gave me." His face became serious once more. "But I know my nephew well, and for the location of the water jug, I persuaded him to tell me what he really needed it for."

Katara shut her eyes tightly for a moment, knowing what was coming next. "And what did he say?" she asked, not wanting to hear the answer that she already knew.

"He said it was for you," Iroh replied softly. "That you were hurt. That he was the one that hurt you."

Katara did not raise her eyes from the old table. She didn't like the sympathy in Iroh's voice, as though she was some battered wife who couldn't take care of herself.

"It wasn't like that," she told him through gritted teeth.

"Then what was it like?" Iroh asked. "I was going to ask Zuko, but I know what my nephew's temper is like, particularly when faced with-"

"I've never seen him that mad before," Katara interrupted, her voice coming out a haunted whisper. "It's like he was a different person. Even when we fought at the North Pole and in Ba Sing Se he was never that angry…he scared me."

"What did he do?" Iroh asked gently.

Katara launched into what had happened, starting with Akio kissing her and ending with the discovery of the traitorous letter.

"And your wrists?" Iroh asked, his voice betraying only a little sorrow at Katara's pain.

"Healed." She extended her arms to show Iroh, who nodded thoughtfully.

"So this is why he wants Akio dead…"

"What?" Katara asked, alarmed. Zuko had talked about killing Akio, but she had never thought he was serious.

"He was ranting about it before, when Toph was out of earshot. I didn't know why he was so mad, at that point obviously having not heard that Jia and Akio had betrayed us, but I gathered that something had happened between yourself and Akio. But now it makes sense. He's blaming Akio for harming you, even though it was he himself who burned your wrists," Iroh explained.

"Akio's his excuse for getting so mad," Katara realized. "If he hadn't seen Akio kiss me, he never would've confronted me like that."

"He's trying to dodge the consequences of his actions and place the blame onto others," Iroh clarified.

"Sounds like Zuko," Katara agreed dryly.

"I had hoped he'd gotten past all of that after what happened in Ba Sing Se," Iroh sighed.

"I doubt he'll ever get past it," Katara said in exasperation. "It's annoying, but it's true. And it's got me wondering…"

"Yes?" Iroh prompted when she trailed off.

"Wondering if my relationship with Zuko will just be one trial after the other," She admitted. "All the odds are stacked - no, _towering_ - against us and it's just one thing after another. It keeps coming, and I don't know when it'll stop."

"True love is never easy, despite what fairy tales tell us. The fact that you and Zuko are together at all is a true testament to how strong your love for each other is," Iroh said, gently patting Katara's hand as he spoke. She looked up and smiled.

"Thank you, Iroh."

"Of course. After all, you're practically family," Iroh shrugged, chuckling.

Katara laughed with him. "Don't let Sokka hear you say that," she warned after a moment.

The inn door banged open, causing Katara and Iroh to look up sharply. Zuko and Sokka were arguing loudly (_of course, _Katara thought, resigned), each cutting off the other mid-flow.

"I'm telling you, it'd be better to fight!" Zuko shook his head.

"What if they call in reinforcements? Then we're dead!" Sokka disagreed.

The two boys continued their angry debate as they sat down at the table, neither bothering to greet their respective family members and loved ones.

"We would win! Okay, another scenario, what if Appa suddenly decides he doesn't want to fly anymore?"

"Then we're screwed," Sokka said simply. "Without Appa then we've got no chance of getting out of here. What if Azula comes down four days early and interrupts our escape?"

"Then we're even more screwed," Zuko replied.

"What are you guys talking about?" Katara demanded, slamming her hand on the table so she would be paid attention to. Zuko and Sokka glanced up at her.

"We're counting all the ways that tonight is going to go wrong," Zuko told her casually.

"I'm really sensing the optimistic vibe here," Toph called from where she sat with Aang. The two young benders heaved themselves up and came to sit at the table with the rest of the group.

"Come on Toph, be realistic." Sokka rolled his eyes. "Tonight isn't going to go smoothly. You know what our track record is like."

"So we were discussing what's the worst that could happen," Zuko said, still calm.

"I think you should discussing what's the worst we could live through," Katara told them, her brow creasing; she didn't like the pessimistic talk.

"Yeah, that's probably better," Sokka agreed. "Thanks, sis."

"No problem," Katara replied scathingly. "Now that we're all here, is there any last minute problems with anything?" She directed her glares at Sokka and Zuko. "Ones that haven't actually _happened_ yet, I mean."

"Well, is there only going to be one of us who goes for Appa, or two?" Aang asked.

"One," Iroh decided immediately. "And it shouldn't be you, Aang."

"How come?" Aang asked, crestfallen. He hadn't seen Appa very much in these past couple of days, and missed his oldest buddy.

"I think that you will be the most conspicuous of the group to go missing," Iroh explained gently, taking in the Avatar's expression. "I was thinking that someone, probably you, make a public speech. That way, the town will be distracted when one person goes for Appa."

"Good thinking," Sokka agreed. "But I'm not doing the speech!"

"We wouldn't expect you to, Snoozles. In fact, you'd be the ideal person to get Fuzzball."

"Fuzzball? You really need to be a little more creative, Toph."

"Shut up, Sugar Queen, or you'll get a worse name."

"There's a name worse than Sugar Queen?" Zuko wondered aloud.

"You'll see," Toph smiled darkly.

"Back on topic," Aang cleared his throat loudly. "So Sokka should be the one getting Appa, I should be the one making the speech, what does that leave everyone else with?"

"We can be scattered around," Zuko suggested. "One by one, we'll excuse ourselves and meet back at the town's gates with Appa."

"Great in theory, but won't people notice we're not there?" Katara pointed out.

"Huh," Zuko muttered. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am," Katara teased, nudging his foot with hers under the table. Zuko pushed back, starting a mini kicking war.

"Stop that if you value your feet," Toph advised.

"Yes ma'am," Katara murmured obediently, but shoved Zuko's foot one last time anyway.

"Real mature," he laughed, before turning serious once more. "Okay, how's this for an idea: Sokka's ill-"

"I like it so far," Toph interjected, smirking. Sokka glowered pointlessly at her.

"_Sokka__'__s ill_," Zuko continued loudly and more forcefully, "so he has to stay at the inn tonight. When everyone's gone from the inn, he'll sneak out and get Appa. Toph and Uncle will go back to check on him, but will really meet Sokka and Appa at the town gates. Aang, being the all-important Avatar, will mingle for awhile, before heading back to the inn to get an early night. There, he'll meet up with the rest of us and we'll fly out of this damned town forever."

"Wait, what's your and Katara's excuse?" Sokka asked suspiciously.

"I'm sure I'll think of something," Zuko replied innocently, exchanging a glance with Katara.

"No you don't," Sokka shook his head with what he hoped was authority. "Katara will be the one who has to stay home sick."

"I'm using the excuse one way or the other," Zuko warned. "I suppose it depends on what you want the townspeople's final idea of you to be."

"Okay, so I stay home sick," Sokka nodded.

_Yeah, that__'__s what I thought, _Katara smirked to herself.

"Well I like it," Toph announced, stretching out as much as she could whilst sat on a chair. "Now, unless anyone's got a better plan, I'm going upstairs to have the last decent shower I'm probably going to have in a long while."

"Actually, Toph, I've got a better idea," Katara said, swiftly standing up and running for the stairs. "I get the shower first!"

"Hey!" Toph complained loudly, also making a - slower - start for the stairs. "I called it first, Katara!"

As she ran up the wooden stairs, Katara noticed that Toph was using her actual name as opposed to a nickname. _Wow, she must really want a shower, _Katara mused. _Ah well._

The moment she reached the landing, Katara sprinted towards the bathroom and slammed the door shut forcefully. A few seconds later, the hammering of tiny fists on the door could be heard, alongside Toph's less than friendly names directed at her.

"Can't hear you, Toph!" Katara shouted back, admittedly a little gleefully, as she began to strip off and wash herself.

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"Someone ought to wash that girl's mouth out with some really strong soap," Zuko grumbled. "If a young lady talked like that in the Fire Nation, she'd find herself with no tongue."

"I don't think that Toph could ever be called a lady of any kind," Aang replied. "Besides, you shouldn't find it that offensive. I'm a monk, and it doesn't bother me that much."

"True," Zuko shrugged, more because he wanted to win the Avatar's approval than he actually agreed with him. _And there__'__s a sentence I never thought I__'__d hear, _He thought, bemused.

"Katara's going to be in for hell once she gets out of the shower," Sokka grinned.

"She can hold her own," Zuko told Sokka confidently.

"I know that," Sokka replied irritably. "I was kidding. Just because in the Fire Nation Katara would probably be sentenced to death for daring to cut ahead of the shower queue, doesn't mean that she will here."

Zuko had clenched his fists and was ready to retort back, until Iroh smoothly interrupted.

"I don't know about that, Sokka," he chuckled. "After all, they have the Elders here. They're almost as worse as the Fire Lord himself."

"I doubt that," Aang muttered.

"Hey, if the Fire Lord's as old as any of these Elders, then you'll have no problem taking him out!" Sokka beamed optimistically.

"The law of the world says that he'll be some all powerful man that doesn't die," Aang replied gloomily.

"You've had no problem breaking other laws, who says you have to stick to this one?" Zuko asked, trying to ignore the fact that these children were calmly discussing the death of his father.

"Princey here has a point," Sokka shrugged.

"Don't call me that," Zuko growled.

"Toph does!"

"Toph's a girl, who-"

"Who could beat the living crap out of you if you yelled at her, I get it," Sokka nodded.

The teenagers continued arguing until Jia and Akio arrived back. There was a slight pause from the Avatar's group in replying to the twin's greeting, but they replied nonetheless.

"How was your meeting with the Elders?" Iroh asked, doing his best not to let the hostility show.

"Humiliating," Jia rolled her emerald eyes and walked gracefully to Katara's vacated seat. "Gods forbid that I, as an actual human being, can look a few old men in the eyes and speak my opinion."

"Get over it sis, it won't always be like that," Akio shrugged, also sitting himself down. Zuko's fists clenched again under the table, and he dare not look at Akio. Iroh shot his nephew a discreet warning look, which thankfully went unnoticed by anyone else.

"Where're Katara and Toph?" Jia asked suddenly, glancing quickly around the table.

"Katara's in the shower, Toph's mad that Katara beat her there," Aang supplied quickly.

"They've got practically all week to have a shower, why are they fighting over it now?" Jia laughed.

"You know Toph, she won't let anyone beat her at anything. I guess that includes showering first," Sokka said, giving an uneasy laugh himself.

"So, everything good for tonight?" Aang asked Jia, cutting off Sokka's increasingly hysterical laugh.

"Pretty much," Jia nodded. "That is, if you guys got everything okay."

"Siyu is disappointingly in short supply of instruments, but we can make up for that by singing!" Iroh grinned enthusiastically.

"People said that they'd bring whatever decorations they had, so that part's sorted," Zuko murmured, still not looking up.

"We invited everyone we could find, and then word will spread, so I bet we'll have a great turn out," Sokka chipped in, having controlled himself.

"Great," Jia smiled widely. "Well, the Elders grudgingly gave us permission to have the music night in the town center, and with a little help from some friends of mine, I think I've got the food sorted out. It's going to be such a good night!"

A split second after Jia had finished her words, Sokka coughed so loudly that it made the entire group jump. He continued coughing violently until Aang, alarmed, smacked him on the back.

"Are you alright?" The Avatar asked, his gray eyes wide.

"I think I'm coming down with something," Sokka rasped, his voice scratchy.

"I told you not to eat that cactus," Zuko warned, catching on quickly.

"Yeah, a few hours too late for advice there Scarface," Sokka glared.

"Enough with the nicknames!" Zuko shouted angrily. "It's your own fault you got sick what with the karma you deserve!"

"You're sick?" Jia asked, scandalized. She, at least, seemed to believe the lie. "But you can't be, not tonight!"

"If I drink plenty of water then I should be-" Sokka's consoling words were cut off by another flurry of coughs.

"I think it would be best if you stay out of tonight's activities," Iroh advised, concern etched onto his face. "Get some rest and don't eat any cactus again. I don't think it agrees with you very well,"

"The cactus and I have something in common," Zuko muttered under his breath, just loud enough for everyone to hear. There was muffled laughter from the group.

"Yeah, you both make me sick!" Sokka snarled in retaliation, standing up heavily out of his chair and dragged his feet over to the stairs. "Aang, little help?" he asked pathetically after a moment. Aang was on his light feet quickly and practically floated over to Sokka.

"Sure thing," Aang beamed, taking Sokka's arm and racing up the stairs. After a moment, there was the loud sound of Sokka retching and a loud cry from Toph.

"Snoozles, that's gross!"

Aang appeared a few seconds later, a sheepish grin on his face. "I think I made it worse."

"I'll say!" Toph yelled angrily from the top of the stairs. "Snoozles is never eating _anything _ever again!"

The faint sound of Sokka groaning miserably filled the room for a moment, until Zuko muttered "serves him right."

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After Toph had finished showering, Katara had stopped "fussing" over Sokka and Jia was convinced that everything was as it seemed, the gang were finally ready to leave. Darkness was rapidly approaching Siyu, not a moment too soon in Zuko's opinion.

"Do you know what the first thing I'm going to do after we leave Siyu is?" He murmured in Katara's ear. The couple lagged behind the rest of the group, holding hands and talking in low tones.

"Kiss me?" Katara teased.

"After that," Zuko amended. When Katara didn't reply, he continued. "I'm going to give your brother a medal for his acting."

"He was pretty good," Katara nodded. "Although I was just coming out of the bathroom when Toph said that he shouldn't eat again, and I think his groan was real."

Zuko laughed quietly. He paused for a moment, before sighing contentedly.

"What?" Katara asked, amused.

"I'm going to miss this a little," Zuko confessed. "Being able to walk down the street without people staring, not being worried that at any moment someone could be trying to kill you."

"Kill me?" Katara repeated. "What about everyone else?"

Zuko stopped walking and looked away. Katara stopped also, watching him with confusion as he began to talk.

"You fill my mind so much that I can't think of anyone else. It's hard to remember any form of self-preservation unless I know that you're completely out of danger."

"I know teenage boys have a one-track mind, Zuko, but that's ridiculous," Katara laughed. "But if it helps, I feel the same about you."

"If…" Zuko hesitated. "If something happens tonight, I want you to be safe. Get your friends, Sokka and my uncle and run. I'll hold them off until you've gone."

"You've really got a hero complex," Katara replied, rolling her eyes. "I don't think you understand, but I would _never_ leave you in a situation like that. Do you really think I could live without you? Knowing how happy I am when you're around?"

"I couldn't live with myself if I let anything happen to you. You've already been through too much…admittedly, most of it at my hands, and I'm not prepared to let you suffer anymore."

Katara smiled up at Zuko as his words sank in. He wouldn't meet her eyes, too embarrassed now that he had talked about his feelings, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"I love you," Katara murmured, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I love you, too." Zuko kissed the top of her head lightly. "Now come on, otherwise we'll miss all the drama."

The night air was cool, with hundreds of twinkling stars and the shining moon sending down her blessing to her friends. The town center was impressively decorated, with colored lanterns strung from the roofs of various houses. Someone had set up a huge fire in the middle of the large circle, and already people were gathered there, chatting animatedly and snacking on savoury foods, their dark shadows strewn over the stone ground. Small benches carved from wood surrounded the fire, something which would surely be dangerous should the fire lose control. Several people standing next to these benches called out in greeting to Jia and Akio, who smiled back.

"Sorry, but we're going to have to mingle," Jia said apologetically. "See you later!"

She strode over to a group of giggling girls who all gave Zuko an appreciative once over before gossiping together excitedly. Akio meanwhile ambled over to the young men of the village who stood only a few feet away. Akio muttered something that caused all of the boys to turn and leer at Katara.

"I wonder if everyone here knows how possessive I am?" Zuko asked loudly, his voice carrying over to the huddled groups.

"Considering how you threatened to gouge the last man's eyes out if he looked at me again, I think everyone will have gotten the message by now," Katara replied, her voice also carrying.

Akio's friends sharply turned back around in fear. Akio's gaze lingered on Katara for a moment longer, before returning casually back to his friends and beginning to talk once more.

"Idiots," Zuko hissed. Katara looked at him, startled. "As if I'd gouge a man's eyes out for looking at you. That's far too merciful."

Katara laughed. She turned around to see that Toph and Iroh had already left, probably off to chat to the townspeople one last time. Aang stood nearby, talking to a boy his age. They seemed to be discussing who would win in a fight, King Bumi of Omashu, or Toph. Katara could just hear strains of their conversation:

"Bumi's over a hundred years old, no way he can beat a master Earthbender," the boy was saying.

"I'm a hundred and twelve, but that didn't slow me down," Aang grinned. "I think it'd be a pretty even match."

Katara smiled and began to walk towards the benches, with Zuko following. They sat down closely, both staring wordlessly into the fire. It flickered harmlessly enough, reaching yearningly into the endless darkened sky.

"It's hard to believe that fire could be so destructive," Katara whispered.

"Tell me about it," Zuko muttered, glancing down at his free hand momentarily. The other was intertwined with Katara's, proof that fire and water could co-exist, even learn to love one another.

"Your uncle seems to be having a good time," Katara laughed suddenly. Zuko looked up and groaned. Iroh was surrounded by eager people, all laughing uproariously at something he had just said. After a moment, they broke into a song whose lyrics Katara could not hear. _Something about four seasons? _she wondered briefly. After a moment, more people had joined in the song, some even getting up to dance.

"I would ask you to dance, but it'd be embarrassing," Zuko told Katara after a few minutes of watching the others dance. The song had changed to something with a faster rhythm now, and many more people had joined in both dancing and singing.

"I'm sure you'd be fine," Katara smiled encouragingly.

"I'm an excellent dancer. I meant it'd be embarrassing for you," Zuko smirked.

"Sounds like a challenge."

"That's because it is," Zuko replied, standing up and offering Katara his hand. "Would you care to dance?"

Katara took Zuko's hand and let him pull her up, smiling. He led her silently to a spot next to the fire and bowed, signalling the beginning of the dance. Katara inclined her head and curtsied slightly, suddenly dreading the fact that she was probably about to make a fool of herself. They followed the same dance steps as everyone else, a well-known traditional Earth Kingdom dance. Katara had picked up the moves on her travels, but how Zuko knew it was beyond her. Katara went through the motions, allowing Zuko to guide her through a dance she knew already. When the song finished, he bowed again. People around them clapped politely for the singers, and Katara hurriedly joined in. When she turned back to Zuko, a smirk was growing on his lips.

"What?" she asked suspiciously.

"Wait here," he said, before slipping through the thickening crowds and disappearing. Chatter filled the air, which was now suspiciously devoid from music. Katara felt self-conscious standing alone, but that was nothing compared to what she felt when the distant sounds of a familiar song began to strum. _Someone__'__s brought an instrument then, _Katara thought unsure of why this made her nervous.

It took a few seconds to realize why the song had sounded so familiar, but it hit her suddenly: it was a Water Tribe song her mother used to use as a lullaby when Katara and Sokka were children. When Zuko appeared through the throng of people, Katara began to smirk herself.

_So he thinks he can beat me at a Water Tribe dance? _she thought smugly. _There__'__s confidence, and then there__'__s just plain stupidity._

"Think you can keep up?" Zuko asked as he reached Katara.

"I'll try," Katara smirked, taking Zuko's outstretched hand as the music began to swell.

Water Tribe dances were always beautifully complicated, including lots of spins and twists of the body. Katara knew this dance even better than she knew the first one, but was surprised that Zuko knew it as well as she did. He kept perfectly in time with the music, barely breaking eye contact with her except when required to. When the music stopped on the abrupt end note, Katara was breathing heavily. It was a demanding dance, even for one who knew it so well, and it came as no shock that Zuko looked a little out of breath also. The couple were so engrossed that they did not notice that a small crowd of people around them had stopped dancing and began instead to watch Zuko and Katara.

"Well done," Katara congratulated Zuko. "I'm somewhat impressed."

"We're not finished yet," Zuko promised. "We've had one of your traditional dances…now we get one of mine."

"I don't know any Fire Nation dances, let alone the traditional ones!" Katara complained as Zuko took her hands in his for the start of the next dance.

"Just follow my moves," Zuko advised, letting the slow, dark music take control. He began to walk around slowly in a circle, and Katara hastened to copy.

_This isn__'__t so difficult, _she thought, as Zuko completed the circle and moved in the opposite direction.

Suddenly the song exploded into heavier notes and Zuko all but shoved Katara away. Careful not to stumble backwards, she quickly copied all of Zuko's swift movements. Luckily she was a fast learner and quickly grasped the basic movements that the dance repeated every so often. Then of course, the dance would call for something completely unexpected and Katara would lose track all over again. She was beginning to get frustrated, and Zuko could see that. He would smirk openly every time she faltered, and it only proved to fuel the fire inside. She tried harder to match the steps, but it seemed like every time she did, Zuko would completely change. If Katara could focus on anything other than the dance steps, she would've wondered if Zuko was doing this on purpose merely to piss her off. Suddenly, Zuko filled the space between them and harshly pushed his foot out against Katara's, causing her to trip. This time, she could not steady herself and quickly found herself falling backwards. She didn't have time to close her eyes and brace herself for the impact of the cold stone on her back, but luckily it never came. Zuko, quick as lightning, leaned forward and caught Katara inches from the ground, his strong arms encircling her back.

"Careful now," he mocked, and she narrowed her eyes. It took her a few moments to realize that the song was over and people were clapping and cheering once more. As she looked around, she noticed that the claps and cheers were directed at her and Zuko, coming from the large crowd surrounding them. Katara breathed heavily and tried to regain her breath as Zuko placed her upright again. He was smiling at her, but she shook her head in disgust and walked off, pushing her way through the crowd. The air was suddenly too hot as she found a secluded bench and made her way towards it.

A hand suddenly grabbed her wrist from behind, and she whirled around. Zuko stood there, his arm outstretched. Katara glanced down at her wrist, and Zuko let go of it sharply.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"About what? About taking my wrist or for being a complete jerk in that dance?" Katara demanded, not bothering to point out that the wrist Zuko had grasped was the same one he had burned the previous night.

Much to her infuriation, Zuko grinned. She huffed and turned away, but Zuko reached out and took her shoulder, gently turning her back around.

"The dance we just did - called the Azulon, even though that's the stupidest name for a dance I've ever heard - is all about the fire that passion holds. Can you honestly say that you would've put that much effort into dancing if I'd asked you to?"

"You have stupid dances in the Fire Nation," was all Katara managed to say.

"Does that mean I'm right?" Zuko ventured.

"It means that if you ever annoy me like that again then it'll be the last thing you ever do," Katara said, but the playful smile on her lips told Zuko he was forgiven.

"I'm actually impressed at how well you kept up," Zuko admitted, "considering you've presumably never seen that dance before."

"What about you? What's the deal with you knowing every dance step ever created?" Katara challenged.

"Dance lessons. Let's say no more about it."

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All eyes were on the Avatar and his friends, which made Katara almost squirm with discomfort. They all stood on the raised wooden platform next to the fire, with the entire town standing before them, listening with rapt attention to what Aang was saying. In truth, Katara had stopped listening awhile ago, just after Toph had exclaimed that she needed to check on Sokka, and Iroh offered to go with her. The second part of the plan was almost complete…so why did Katara have foreboding flutterbats in the pit of her stomach? She knew the plan perfectly, was almost positive that Jia and Akio would try to stop them, and was confident that the group would beat the traitorous twins down.

"And that's what happened at the North Pole," Aang rambled on. Katara was vastly surprised that all the townspeople still hung onto his every word, even though he had been talking for what seemed like ages. "Although, as you can see now, Zuko and Katara's feelings for each other have changed a little."

All eyes swivelled to the said couple, and Katara felt her face heat up. When Aang started talking again, most eyes snapped back to him. The occasional person's eyes drifted slowly back, but Akio's lingered sinisterly. Katara did not hold his gaze. She squeezed Zuko's hand fractionally, and he took it as a sign to give Akio a discreet glare. He then began to whisper in Katara's ear.

"Right, this is it. When I've finished talking, giggle."

Katara obliged, playing her role in the play that would get them all out of Siyu. She caught Zuko's eye and saw him smirking; either acting or genuinely pleased with himself, she didn't know. "Don't worry," he continued whispering. "I'm here and I won't let you get hurt. We have to expect Jia and Akio to try to stop us, but we're more than prepared for them. Now, look up at me." Katara looked up to see him smile somewhat suggestively and nod his head in direction away from the platform. She smiled back as he took her hand and gently began to lead her offstage. The people that noticed either gave them scandalized or encouraging looks, but the young couple ignored them all. Aang gave no indication that he had seen Zuko and Katara leave, but only to make sure that everyone's attention was still focused on himself.

"Finally, I have you all to myself," Zuko teased as they walked further and further away from the town center.

"Savour it," Katara replied. "We won't get much alone time after tonight."

"We'll get alone time if I have to personally kill everyone in the area," Zuko promised.

"Am I really worth that much?"

"That and more."

They walked in silence to the town gates, furtively glancing around for any signs of danger that wasn't scheduled until later. Katara silently said goodbye to the sights she had come to recognise in her brief stay in the town, but knew that she wouldn't really miss them.

"That you?" a voice hissed when Zuko and Katara were a few feet from the rendezvous point.

"Yeah," Katara whispered back. "Everything gone to plan?"

"More or less," Sokka shrugged. "Appa decided he wanted to be stubborn and sleep, until I gave him some cactus plant that was leftover from before."

"Good, good," Katara murmured, distracted already. Her heart had began to pound drastically, thumping in her ears. This wasn't going to work. Something was going to go wrong. Katara could see the dim outlines of her brother, Toph and Iroh, and the enormous outline of Appa. Momo had chirruped in greeting as his human friends had arrived, and then curled back to sleep on Appa's back.

"Where's Aang?" Toph asked suddenly.

"Re-telling his life story," Zuko muttered.

"Still?" Iroh asked, amused.

"He was recollecting the North Pole when we left," Katara informed the group. "So either he'll have to cut it short or we're going to be here for awhile."

"Maybe we should check that we've got all the supplies before we go?" Zuko suggested quietly.

"Already done," replied Iroh. "I'm afraid I was worried about the same thing, and forced poor Toph and Sokka to climb on Appa and check."

"Three times," Toph grumbled, but she didn't sound as though she minded. "And I had to feel around for everything. But whatever, it helped pass the time."

The group stood in awkward silence for awhile, murmuring occasional reassurances to each other. What seemed like hours passed, but it couldn't have been more than a couple of minutes until Aang ran up to the group, panting as he slowed down.

"Okay, I think everyone was distracted enough to not notice me slip away."

"Why, what did you tell them?" Katara asked, intrigued. Her heart was pounding quicker than ever, and she was surprised that she could hear her own voice over the din it was making.

"I told them that Toph and Sokka were dating," Aang admitted sheepishly. "It was the first thing I could think of, and you know how much Siyu likes to gossip."

Sokka groaned and rolled his eyes, but Toph said nothing, faint color rising to her cheeks. Katara smiled at her young friend's apparent crush, but didn't say anything.

"So, we good to go?" Aang asked, his glance darting quickly from the group in front of him to his bison.

"Not quite," said a voice. The group sighed in unison and turned to face the newly arrived Jia. "Surprise."

"Not quite," Toph mimicked.

"We knew you were going to show," Sokka shrugged. "It wasn't exactly unpredictable."

"I for one thought they were going to show up just as we were getting on Appa, y'know, really cut it close" Zuko offered.

"Yeah, but no one cares what you think," Sokka said, barely sparing Zuko a glance as he insulted him.

"Guys," Katara cut across before Zuko could retort anything. "Not the time."

"She's right," Jia agreed, looking a little shocked at the Avatar's gang's reaction to her ruining their plans. "Although we do have some time to spare. I don't expect the cavalry to be here for another half hour yet."

"That damn cavalry, never there when you need them," Sokka quipped.

"How true," Jia smiled. It was a smile unlike anything before; it was cold and cruel and very Azula. "Akio, would you mind?"

With a sudden sense of foreboding, Katara looked to her left. Akio stepped out of the shadows, dragging with him a sobbing girl around the age of five.

"I had a feeling that you'd try to fight us," Jia shrugged. "So I had Akio bring along a little…insurance, if you will. The girl won't be harmed until the rest of the townspeople get here. After that, it's her fault if she gets hurt in the chaos."

Katara knew that her friends' expressions mirrored hers. She stared at Jia in pure disgust that was too strong to put into words. The girl fidgeted slightly, and Akio put a threatening hand on her shoulder. The minute he began to physically restrain her, Katara knew that she wouldn't be able to hold back any longer.

"Recognise her, do you Zuko?" Jia purred. Startled, Katara glanced at Zuko, who wore a tormented face.

"Of course," he said, his voice shaking with suppressed anger and sadness.

"Hi Zuko," the tiny girl greeted sadly, looking up at him.

"Hello Sarava," Zuko replied gravely. "Listen to me, I promise you won't get hurt."

"You also promised her a new ball, if I'm not mistaken," Jia said offhandedly. "That never came about. Oh yeah, I was listening to the whole conversation, just in case you were still unsure," she added.

"Is that your girlfriend?" Sarava asked, ignoring Jia and bobbing her small head in Katara's direction.

"Yes," Zuko nodded, his cracked whisper fraught with pain. "Do you remember talking about her?"

Sarava screwed her face up in concentration. "You said that you didn't want to hurt her, and then you said a bunch of stuff that I didn't get."

Katara's hand found Zuko's and squeezed it gently. "I'm glad that you made a new friend," she said softly, mainly for Sarava's benefit. "Even if it was a five year old girl."

"I'm five and a half!" Sarava corrected, stamping her little foot. Zuko smiled, glad that, for the moment, they had distracted the child from the seriousness of the situation.

"Right, sorry," Katara replied soothingly. As she turned to Akio, her face and voice turned hard. "If you hurt her, I swear to the Gods that you won't live to regret it."

"Meaning that I won't regret it?" Akio asked, his voice filled with amused malice.

"Meaning that you won't live," Zuko spat.

The two groups stared at each other for a moment, hate and anger filling their glares. Sarava looked around, bewildered, clearly too young to comprehend this yet.

"What has driven you to this?" Iroh asked, his voice, like his nephew's before, was shaking with rage.

"You probably want me to say that I'm an outcast," Jia said, flicking her luscious hair. "That I was unloved and friendless and unwanted. But as you can see, that's clearly not the case. Seeing as we're still awhile away from witnessing your bloody deaths, I guess this is the time for revelations."

She sighed dramatically before glancing at Akio, who nodded his approval for her to carry on.

"It was our mother," Jia said, pausing for effect as her words sank in.

"Your mother didn't love you?" Toph guessed, for once serious.

"Actually, she made me the woman I was today," Jia corrected.

"Sounds like a great mom," Aang muttered. "So, what, did her death cause you to become this hate-filled bitch?"

If any of the group noticed Aang swearing, they said nothing.

"Hardly," Jia laughed, a light sound that punctured the night like a wound. "How could her death have affected me when she's still alive?"

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**A/N:**

**So this chapter took quite awhile to get up, but it's pretty long, so I hope that makes it better (: For those of you thinking "…wtf?" then don't worry, all will be explained in the next chapter :D I couldn't read through this chapter because I needed to be off the computer 10 minutes ago, so sorry if there are any mistakes.**

**Thank you for your awesome reviews, and how funny was "Nightmares and Daydreams" ? Appa and Momo talking has got to be one of the funniest parts of the series so far, and Aang's nightmare ("how do you expect to defeat me when you're not wearing any pants?") was brilliant XD**

**Have a good week (:**

**- Momo**


	15. Into The Fire

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

-----------------------------------_previously_------------------------------------------

"What has driven you to this?" Iroh asked, his voice, like his nephew's before, was shaking with rage.

"You probably want me to say that I'm an outcast," Jia said, flicking her luscious hair. "That I was unloved and friendless and unwanted. But as you can see, that's clearly not the case. Seeing as we're still awhile away from witnessing your bloody deaths, I guess this is the time for revelations."

She sighed dramatically before glancing at Akio, who nodded his approval for her to carry on.

"It was our mother," Jia said, pausing for effect as her words sank in.

"Your mother didn't love you?" Toph guessed, for once serious.

"Actually, she made me the woman I was today," Jia corrected.

"Sounds like a great mom," Aang muttered. "So, what, did her death cause you to become this hate-filled bitch?"

If any of the group noticed Aang swearing, they said nothing.

"Hardly," Jia laughed, a light sound that punctured the night like a wound. "How could her death have affected me when she's still alive?"

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A stunned silence filled the air. No matter in what order Katara placed the words, they didn't make sense. Jia and Akio's mother couldn't be alive…it didn't make sense. One of the townspeople would've said something. Hin wouldn't have played along to the passing of his wife.

"She's telling the truth," Toph murmured, her voice filled with grudging surprise.

"Of course I am," Jia grinned, showing off all her white, dazzling teeth, the way a predator entices its prey. "What kind of sick freak would I have to be to lie about something like this?"

_The same kind of sick freak you__'__d have to be to take a child hostage, _Katara thought angrily, but was still too startled to put her thoughts into words. _Besides, you lied about her being dead before._

"I think we've established that you're a sick freak," Sokka snarled evidently still able to find his tongue even through shock. "No need to remind us."

"Grouchy, isn't he?" Akio asked conversationally to Sarava, who squirmed uncomfortably. "I wonder if he knows what'll happen to you if he keeps being grouchy?"

Sokka wrenched his mouth shut, glaring in hatred at the young man who smiled back mockingly.

"If your mother is dead, then why did you lie? And what does she have to do with any of this?" Aang growled.

"What do you think, Akio, should we tell them?" Jia called gleefully over to her twin.

"Why not? It's not like they'll be able to tell anyone after tonight," Akio replied, smiling sinisterly.

"Our mother's name was Tala," Jia started, without any more encouragement. "She was a beautiful woman; it wasn't hard to see why our father fell in love with her. Unfortunately, it wasn't hard to see why half of Siyu fell in love with her also. She used her looks to gain favors around the town-"

"Although sometimes she used more than her looks," Akio cut in nonchalantly, seemingly unconcerned about his mother's promiscuity.

"Right," Jia laughed, sharing the same nonchalance as Akio. "Well, either way, she was unfaithful. So much so, that we're not even sure who Hime's real father is."

Katara realized with a pang that she had forgotten all about Hime, Jia and Akio's younger brother. Nevertheless, she kept silent and allowed Jia to carry on.

"But Tala said nothing, and of course the men she slept with - most with wives and families of their own - kept quiet about her infidelity. However, they didn't keep quiet about much else. The more Tala 'entertained', the more secrets she learned, all the while passing them onto me. Siyu may seem like a peaceful little place, but don't be fooled. This town is filled with lies and deceit, even the odd murder or two. And our mother knew it all. However, one night she learned the wrong secret. Even back then, the Elders were formidable fools, punishing anyone who stepped even a toe out of line. They had spies everywhere, and it soon became clear as to why," Jia paused and glanced around the see the group's reaction. She seemed satisfied when she saw the looks of horror and continued. "The Head Elder - Wenyan - had a terrible secret, something which would rock Siyu's world should it ever come out. He confided in one person…but it turned out to be the wrong choice. No less than three days after the Elder had confessed, Tala knew about it. She had a personal dislike for the Elders, ever since Wenyan had ordered her to keep away from them. Of course, had our mother known Wenyan's…_preferences _back then,she probably wouldn't have been so insulted." Jia exchanged a brief, smirking glance with her brother, before her expression turned to one of distaste. "The moment Wenyan discovered that Tala knew his secret and fully intended to divulge it, did he realize that she had to go. He branded her nothing more than a common whore, selling her body in exchange for favors, and the Elders wouldn't allow something so corrupt in their 'fair little town'. He called for Tala's execution the next morning.

"People protested, of course, but they dared not be accused of being a whore's client. So, after some initial uproar, the voices died down quietly. But our family refused to sit back and allow this, so we hatched a plan. Our father was once an herbalist and he concocted a mixture of herbs to create something that would induce death-like qualities. Once Tala had been 'killed', we would slip her the antidote and she would ride off into the sunset, safe and sound."

"Then we realized that this was too complicated, so just knocked out the guard's in charge of our mother's cell and bundled her off in the next cart bound for Ba Sing Se," Akio shrugged, chipping in his part of the story. "But," Jia continued, shooting an icy glare at her brother for interrupting the drama, "we feared that the Elder's would somehow put the blame onto Hime. He was only a baby at the time, and like I said, we weren't sure of whom his father was. Tala didn't stick around to decide whether or not the Elders would harm Hime - she took him with her."

All the pieces were beginning to fall into place; the reason why the group had never seen Hime, the way the rest of the village acted as though he was still in Siyu…even Raea's dislike for Jia probably stemmed from the fact that her mother had been accused of being a whore. _Or it's that Jia's a manipulative bitch. Either way._

"No one in Siyu knows that Hime left. The few that figured it out were…dealt with. My mother was many things, but she wasn't naïve. She knew what she wanted, and she knew what she had to do to achieve it. She's passed that skill onto me. I know every secret in Siyu, and it's made me more powerful than a God," Jia proclaimed proudly.

"Skill?" Toph repeated, shaking the others out of the story with an amused snort. "It isn't exactly a skill to trade your body for gossip. Your mother probably thought that she was legendary, but she can't have been respected by the men of Siyu. I bet they thought of her as nothing more than something that could be used and then tossed aside. A joke. A whore."

Jia's face had flushed red, and she opened her mouth angrily, advancing forward. Akio cut his sister off swiftly.

"You don't want this child to live, do you?" he asked Toph, gripping Sarava's shoulder so she cried out in pain.

"It doesn't matter," Jia spat viciously. "They'll be dead soon enough anyway. Azula was specific about not killing the Avatar, Prince Zuko or General Iroh, but she was conveniently vague about the rest of you."

"You think you can take us down?" Sokka asked, his eyebrow arched.

"I don't," Jia shook her head, before smiling dazzlingly and jerking her head in a direction that was over her shoulder. A trail of velvet brunette hair followed her movement. "But I'm sure they do."

All eyes snapped to where Jia had acknowledged. The distant raised voices of what could only be an angry mob of deluded townspeople began to get louder and louder.

"Why would they do you what you tell them to?" Katara asked Jia, desperation making her voice sharp.

"Have you not been listening?" Jia laughed, indicating herself. "More powerful than a God, remember? My control is based on blackmail and lies, and it's truly astonishing what people will do to protect their reputation, especially in this town. I've left some minor details out, of course, about what I intend to happen tonight."

She turned her back on the group for a moment, discussing something in low tones to her brother. The Avatar took advantage of this.

"Don't kill anyone," Aang instructed quietly to the group, who were already in battle formation. "Knock them out if necessary, but whatever you do, don't kill. If you need backup, just yell. Don't get cornered. Don't fight alone. Don't die."

"Sounds pretty simple to me," Sokka said, drawing out his boomerang.

"Can't we try talking to the townspeople?" Katara asked Aang.

"Katara, I love you, but you're insane," Zuko told her, patting her shoulder in a patronising way.

"Did you just say you loved my sister?" Sokka asked furiously, ignoring Katara's suggestion.

"Got a problem with that?" Zuko asked coolly.

Sokka considered this for a moment. "Break her heart, and I'll break your neck."

"You might have to get in line," Aang replied, nodding ahead to the ever moving crowd ahead of them. His gray eyes scanned the people quickly. "Most of the town's there. Katara, what did you say about talking to them?"

"I don't know," Katara replied, panicky. "Something motivating? Threatening? Persuasive?"

"Anything, just try to get them on our side!" Toph said, stamping her foot harshly onto the ground and summoning a small boulder, which she carefully levitated between her hands.

"Iroh, can you help?" Katara asked, snapping her head to the side.

"I'll do my best," Iroh replied grimly.

"We all will," Zuko promised, squeezing Katara's hand tightly. "Besides, if it doesn't work, it'll have given us enough time to think of a battle plan other than run in and die."

"Your confidence in me is touching," Katara told him dryly.

"I have plenty confidence in you," Zuko informed her. "It's them I'm not so sure about."

The crowd had gotten so close that Katara could hear individual shouts and cat-calls. Most of the townspeople were wielding weapons dangerously, the cruel steel edges of knives glinting in the moonlight. Katara wondered what it would feel like if one of the knives slid into her gut, and involuntarily shuddered. She forced such thoughts out of her mind and focused only on victory. Trembling, she let go of Zuko's hand and stood forward in front of the group, facing the oncoming crowd. Jia stood opposite her, a smirk growing on her twisted face.

"Why are you doing this?" Katara shouted above the din to the townspeople, who suddenly ceased shouting the moment she had began to talk. "Have we wronged you in some way?" She hoped her voice didn't betray how terrified she was. Her words were met with silence from the crowd. Figuring this was good, Katara plunged on. "You are not here of your own free will; don't you think there's something wrong with that?

_Okay, it's probably best to stop with the rhetorical questions, _Katara told herself. _Make with the persuading._

"I know why you're here tonight. Jia had the pleasure of informing us about how she controls and manipulates you all. I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be like that! You're all so scared that your secret will come out, that you're just causing more things to be covered up!" Katara shouted, desperately praying that she was making sense. "How do you think the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes will react when they find out that the Avatar is dead, killed by a town that was too worried not to do as a teenage girl told them to!" _Dammit, I'm a teenage girl telling them what to do! Better change tack…_ "What's the worst that could happen if your secrets came out? A couple of sidelong glances for a week? Are the lives of innocent people really worth that?" _Stop with the rhetorical questions already! _"If you fight with us tonight, you'll win. No matter the outcome of this fight, you'll win because you're relinquishing the grip that Jia and Akio have on you!"

"I think now would be a good time to point out that Jia and Akio are conspiring with Azula, and she's coming here in a few days anyway to kill you all. You might as well fight against someone you have a chance of beating," Sokka called out. "We don't want to hurt any of you, but-" "Children?" a voice called out in the crowd. Katara was startled to recognize that it was Hin's. "Is this true?"

_So he really had no idea, _Katara thought, her heartbeat slowly returning to normal now that the focus had been taken off her for the moment.

"It's true," Jia confirmed casually. "Princess Azula and her friends passed through here recently, on their way to conquer Ba Sing Se. The Princess demanded we give her food and shelter for the night, and what could we do but serve? She told me that my loyalty would be rewarded if she could depend on me to do something in the future."

"And, like the power-hungry bitch that you are, you agreed," Toph filled in, sounding completely unsurprised.

"I had no idea what Princess Azula had in mind back then; I don't even think _she_ was sure, but I promised her my family's faithfulness. Then, a week and a half ago, I received a letter detailing Prince Zuko's treachery and how I was to be on the lookout for the Avatar and his companions." Jia turned to look Aang in the eyes, her emerald irises shining hungrily. "I never dreamt I'd find you…but here we are. You'll soon be dead, and we'll soon be out of Siyu, richer that we could have ever hoped to be."

There was a small silence, in which everyone digested this new information.

"If you genuinely think that Azula won't double-cross you, then you're a bigger idiot that I thought you were," Aang said finally. "Say that we do lose tonight. All that'll happen in a few days is that Azula will come along, collect me, Zuko and Iroh, and then kill the town for harboring traitors."

"It wouldn't surprise me," Katara nodded in agreement. "In fact, I'd bet on it."

"Princess Azula will honor my brother and I for helping her to catch the Avatar, and we will go down in the history books," Jia hissed, her eyes dangerously narrow. "Siyu will go down in the history books."

Some people behind her nodded, but many more looked unsure, glancing around themselves to see what reactions other people were having. Katara noticed this, and immediately her spirits rose.

"Azula will kill you all without hesitation," she promised. "She's ruthless and cunning and did not become leader of the Earth Kingdom by sparing lives. If you choose to fight with us tonight, we can escape, and Azula will be too busy coming after us to spare a thought about you."

"We don't want to hurt you," Zuko told the crowd. "But we will if you leave us no option."

"The time has come to stand beside or step aside."

Katara's final words seemed to have an effect on some of the townspeople. They began to stir and mutter amongst themselves, throwing worried glances at Jia and Katara, sizing them up and deliberating over who they should fight with. Finally, a teenaged girl broke the ranks behind Jia. She tentatively took a step forward, then another, then another, until she had completely separated herself from the others. Feeling all eyes on her, the girl's face burned brightly, but she didn't stop walking until she stood next to Katara.

"Thank you, Raea," Katara murmured to her new friend, smiling slightly.

"I forgot your dress, sorry," Raea blurted out, and Katara laughed a little.

"That's alright. When we're gone, you can keep it." Katara hesitated. "I don't expect you to hurt any of your friends or family, but-"

"If they come at me, knock them out," Raea nodded. "Got it."

"She's a fast learner," Sokka grinned. "Girl's gonna go far."

The muttering amongst the townspeople had reached a whole new level. Some openly scoffed about joining the Avatar, while others threw Raea appraising glances. After a few seconds, four young men and two girls stepped out towards the Avatar's group. Katara recognized the man in the lead as the person she had set Raea up on a date with earlier. _It's nice to know that went down well._

Raea grinned up at her date as he stood by her side and awkwardly put his arm around her shoulder.

"Thank you," Raea told him, her voice filled with wonder, as though she didn't understand why this young man would risk his life to be on the same side as her.

"I couldn't let you do something stupid alone," he murmured, blushing crimson as he spoke. "The only reason I'm here in the first place is because of my family, and I'm not going to be on the wrong side of this."

As more people began to slowly join the Avatar's side, Katara became wildly optimistic and thought that all of Siyu would soon be on the Avatar's side. However, when five minutes had passed, it became clear that half the town were firmly staying with Jia and Akio. A few people had slipped out of the upcoming fight completely, taking Katara's words of 'stand beside or step aside' a little too literally. Still, at least they would be safe, Katara reasoned with herself.

"Raea," Katara muttered from the corner of her mouth. The girl beside her turned a fraction, knowing that whatever Katara wanted to say shouldn't be heard by anyone else. "On top of Appa - the bison - are some weapons. Give Zuko his dual swords, and pass anyone who hasn't got a weapon something to defend themselves with."

Raea nodded minutely, and Katara knew that her friend had gotten the message.

"So," Jia called out, her voice breaking the silence that had swept across the street. "I guess this is it."

"I would say it's been nice to know you, but honestly? You're a bitch and I hate you," Katara smiled back.

Jia smiled sweetly and put a hand over her heart, as if Katara's words had touched her. "Aww, you too."

There was a split second of tension, of indecision and doubt. Then the evanescent moment passed and the two sides of Siyu ran each other with full force.

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As instructed, Raea ran back to the bison and began hurriedly climbing him. Her hands shook violently as she quickly rooting through the Avatar's possessions until she came to the weapons. She took a brief moment to admire the beauty and intricacy of some of the swords, before scooping them up carefully into her arms and standing up. The bison kept still as she climbed back down him with difficultly, but as soon as she had reached the ground, he charged into the battle, immediately shoving some of the Siyu citizens aside. Heart pounding and palms sweating, Raea ran into the thick of the fight, looking around blindly for someone she recognized was on her side. Somewhere to her left was Katara, whipping Jia furiously with water. Jia kept snarling and dodging, before coming at Katara with a dagger she had previously concealed. In front of her stood Zuko, fists swiping at Akio, who similarly had chosen to forsake weapons. The earth rumbled slightly as Toph dispatched a few of their enemies, and Sokka's victorious whoop filled the air. Aang and Iroh fought separately, but regularly swapped opponents to help the other out. Deciding that Zuko needed her help most, she called his name and rashly threw his swords at him, praying that he would catch them the right way.

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Zuko turned around at the mention of his name, and then silently cursed himself for being so stupid as to turn his back on his enemy. Still, when he saw his dual swords flying through the air towards him, he caught them carefully by the handles, as he had been taught as a child. _The Fire Nation actually taught me something useful…huh, _Zuko thought, before facing Akio and brandishing his swords.

"I'm going to enjoy this," he said, his eyes alight with the passion and adrenaline of battle.

"Finally," Akio replied, snapping his hands to his waist and bringing them back up again, now with two short daggers in his hands. "I thought you were never going to use your swords. Combat's more fun this way, don't you think?"

"Definitely," Zuko replied, relishing the clash of metal on metal as his swords and Akio's daggers collided. Everything around them became a blur, and suddenly all Zuko could think of was victory, and survival. He remembered everything that Akio had done to hurt Katara and this spurred him on, giving him a new furious edge that he had never had in battle before. _I guess that's what love will do to you, _Zuko thought fleetingly, quickly stepping aside to avoid a dagger. Each time Akio struck, Zuko dodged. Unfortunately, the same thing happened each time Zuko struck.

"You're pretty good, you know that?" Akio called above the din, superiority in his voice and a smug smirk fixed firmly onto his face.

"I'm the Fire Nation Prince," Zuko retorted. "What's your excuse?"

"I work with weapons, remember?" Akio replied, Zuko's sword whistling just past his head. "Each sword I make, I practice with and perfect my technique."

"Sounds fun," Zuko said sarcastically, trying not to wince as one of Akio's daggers collided again with his swords and made a loud screeching sound.

"It is," Akio replied, flinching a little at the noise. "Especially when I get to fight someone like you and all my work pays off."

"Thanks, I'm touched," Zuko drawled, silently cursing that he could not get any closer to Akio due to the boy's amazing defences. Each time Akio stepped back, Zuko followed, and soon the teenagers were separated from the rest of the battle and on the same row of houses as the inn that had housed them for the past couple of days.

"Don't get too happy, I'm not going to let you win," Akio informed him, executing an attack that Zuko only just had time to block. Noticing this, Akio smirked. "I wonder what Katara will say when she finds you dead in the street?"

Zuko narrowed his eyes, but refused to answer. If things got too bad, he could always Firebend his way out of trouble.

"Princess Azula gave us instructions to keep you, your uncle and the Avatar alive, but while I'm here, I think I'll save her the hassle and kill you myself," Akio said, infuriatingly calm as he struck his blades with such precision that had Zuko not learned how to fight well, he would surely be dead now. "And while I'm being daring," Akio carried on, a cold, cruel look in his eyes, "I think I'll ask Princess Azula to spare Katara's life. It gets lonely out here, and…well, a man has needs."

Snarling furiously, Zuko allowed his rage to take over and slammed the swords heatedly at Akio's stomach. Akio, cool and collected as ever, blocked with ease and smirked.

"Katara would _never _be with you," Zuko spat, breathing heavily as he continued fighting.

"Who said she'd have a choice? She's pretty fiery for a Waterbender; I'm guessing she'll warm my bed nicely on those cold desert nights. " Akio hissed, swiftly thrusting a dagger against Zuko's shoulder. Blinded by rage, Zuko reacted weakly and barely noticed as the blade sank shallowly into his flesh. Glancing up, the red mist rose just enough for Zuko to realize two things: first, that if he didn't find some way to distract Akio then he would die. Second, the perfect distraction lay just a few feet ahead of him.

"There's more than one way to warm a man's bed, Akio," Zuko snarled, focusing his energy for a brief moment before sending a burst of fire directly at the twin's inn. The bright blaze hurtled towards its intended target and slammed into the wooden roof of the inn. Quicker than Zuko would've thought, the flames spread quickly throughout the inn's exterior, lighting up the dark night and casting the surroundings in glowing orange and red. Akio had stopped fighting the moment Zuko shot the flames, and now watched his home burn down in horror.

"Whoops," Zuko said icily, drawing together his dual swords and preparing for the final strike.

"You bastard!" Akio roared, whipping around and reigniting the fight. Zuko noticed with grim satisfaction that Akio's knuckles were white because of the pressure he put into holding his daggers steady. With renewed vigour, Akio pushed the daggers forward as many times as he could, but Zuko now had the upper hand. Every strike Akio took, Zuko blocked. Every strike Zuko took, Akio felt the force of. Finally, Akio left an opening that was too good for Zuko to ignore.

Zuko plunged his swords into Akio's stomach just as Akio had lifted his arms to attack his enemy from above. Akio grunted as the swords hit home, and slowly lowered his arms, staring down at his abdomen.

"I would've gone for your heart, but that stopped beating a long time ago," Zuko said, his voice slicing through the silence.

"This won't kill me," Akio promised, but his voice was already wavering and his knees began to shake.

"Not yet," Zuko agreed. "But it will."

He pulled out the swords and Akio's knees buckled. Zuko stared coldly down at him, wiping his swords on his pants. Akio didn't move from his kneeling position, but clutched his hands to his stomach. When he removed his hands, they were smothered in blood.

"Blood of the innocent," Akio nodded down to his hands. "Think you can deal with it?"

"There is no innocent blood on my hands. Only yours."

With that, Zuko walked away. His heart was pounding and too many thoughts were crashing through his head for him to understand properly. He had just caused the death of someone, yet he didn't feel any remorse. Akio had threatened everyone that Zuko loved by just existing. His comments and promises about what he would do to Katara had crossed the line, and Zuko knew that he couldn't allow someone so sick to go unpunished. If Akio reached a healer in time, then he would survive. If not? Then Zuko would lose no sleep over it.

The fire that had demolished what once had been Jia and Akio's inn was quickly spreading to the other wooden houses on the street, flames licking the structures before devouring them whole. The world seemed different somehow, and Zuko walked in a trance back to the main battle, pulling apart his swords once more to fight.

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"Your boyfriend's as good as dead!" Jia hissed, gracefully leaping out of the way of Katara's water whip for the tenth time. "Akio is a master at what he does."

"And I am a master at what I do," Katara replied, bending the water so that it surrounded Jia. "Finally, something your brother and I have in common."

Too many people were around for Katara to widen the water circle, so she settled for decreasing it around Jia, until it curled around her waist like a python. Jia struggled in futility, shaking her hips as though she were dancing. People were crushing in at all sides of both Katara and her opponent, and it was difficult to keep concentration up.

"Fire!" someone screamed, and Katara snapped around quickly. Sure enough, the houses and buildings at the far end of the long road were ablaze, and the flames were slowly making their way up the street. Suddenly, all thoughts of battle were lost as people began shouting and screaming in panic, roughly shoving their way past in an effort to get to the gates and to freedom.

_The gates are made of wood too! _Katara thought in dread. _Unless someone puts the fire out then we're all as good as dead once the flames reach us!_

The water that she had released when her concentration had been shattered lay shining on the ground, being splashed in by terrified townspeople. Katara turned back around quickly to retrieve the water, but as soon as she had a fist came flying out of nowhere, smacking her around the face. Gasping in pain, Katara's hand flew to her face and she looked up. Jia stood in front of her, fist still clenched in triumph. Angrily, Katara moved to summon the liquid on the ground, intending to kick the crap out of Jia. Then however, she turned back to the burning buildings, the fire coming ever closer to the gates. Indecision blazed in Katara's eyes, and Jia saw this.

"Yeah," she shouted above the racket. "Didn't think so."

Jia quickly bent down and picked up her knife, which had been lost when Katara had begun to attack. She fingered it delicately, showing the glistening tip to Katara, who stared at it in horror. Jia was now so close that Katara couldn't move to bend the water without being impaled on Jia's weapon.

"Katara!"

Both girls involuntarily turned at the shout, craning their necks above the jostling crowds to see who had shouted. Sokka and Toph, followed swiftly by Iroh and Aang, elbowed their way through the sea of people all rushing in the opposite direction to get to Katara. Aang Airbended the reluctant people out of the way, leaving an almost clear path to the battling teenage girls.

"We have to go!" Toph yelled, charging forward past Sokka. "The fire's spreading too quickly, if we don't get the gates open in the next few minutes then we're all dead!"

The group came to a grinding halt as they saw the knife glinting in Jia's hand, only inches away from Katara. Immediately, all the fighters took a stance as best they could whilst being rushed by the few stragglers left behind.

"If you don't want your ass handed to you, I suggest you put down the knife," Toph suggested, her voice low and dangerous.

A flash of wild desperation ran through Jia's eyes as she scanned the group that now surrounded her. Taking advantage of this distraction, Katara stepped back and became part of the circle that enclosed the enemy. She summoned the water from the ground and snapped it back and forth in her hands, relishing the cool release from the rising heat of the oncoming flames.

"Katara," a voice murmured behind her. Katara jumped out of her skin in shock, before turning around and composing herself. Zuko stood there solemnly, his pants stained with the darkness of blood. Katara's eyes widened and she examined him critically in the shadowy light caused by the burning houses. Some buildings had collapsed completely and had sparked the fire into the street, making it impossible to see anything past one hundred feet but a wall of flames.

"What happened?" she asked frantically, her heart racing with worry.

"Akio," was all Zuko replied grimly.

"He isn't…he's not…?" Katara was almost afraid to ask.

"I did what I had to."

Katara's sapphire eyes widened even more as realization struck. A hand flew to her mouth in surprise and she stood in stunned silence for a moment. Zuko hung his head and refused to meet her eyes.

"What did you do to my brother?" Jia screeched, breaking through the ranks of her foes and clutching the front of Zuko's shirt. Her hair was messy, her eyes fierce and her cheeks stained with uncontrollable tears. "What did you do to him?!"

"I stopped him from hurting anyone else," Zuko replied, his eyes narrowed in hatred as he set eyes upon the girl who had come too close to ruining his life. "Get out of my sight before I do the same to you."

It was an empty threat, everyone knew it, but Jia's shaking hands released Zuko's shirt nonetheless. Her eyes were blank as she gazed out towards the far end of the road, now completely obscured by an intensity of fire. The emeralds were hidden beneath the reflection of ruby and dancing orange. Katara knew what Jia intended to do before the girl had even taken a step, but was powerless.

Jia began to slowly walk away from the Avatar's group, watched by the confused tainted heroes.

"Don't."

Katara's shout cut across the hot air cleanly. Jia turned around, a bitter, twisted smile set upon her once-beautiful face.

"He's my brother, I love him. He's all I have left and I won't let the fire take him."

"Then don't let the fire take you!" Toph called, catching on. "The fire's spreading too fast for Katara to put out the flames, but we could still find Akio's body-"

"Charred and broken?" Jia hissed, the sound chilling the group to the bone. "I don't think so."

She began to walk once more, her dainty footsteps taking on a more determined edge as she neared the flames that had taken over the road she had played on as a child. She stepped over the burning remain of a building and was mere feet away from the fire before stopping and turning, her dark silhouette striking out against the flames.

"You'll get what's coming to you, you know," she shouted back. Her eyes paused on Aang, then again to the group at large as she spoke again. "_All _of you. You think this fire is bad? Just wait until Princess Azula catches up to you." She laughed, the same light, silvery laugh that had made her seem so friendly at the beginning. "You'd all be begging me to kill you now if you knew what was to come. You destroyed Siyu, and karma won't take kindly to that. On your heads be it."

She turned around, her hair swishing defiantly behind her, and walked into the fire, barely pausing as the flames began to lick at her clothes. The Avatar and his friends watched in horror as Jia's dark form was swallowed by the fire. She did not come out again.

Unwilling tears pricked at Katara's eyes, brought on both by the ash blowing in the light breeze, and for the regret of Jia's dignified suicide. She stared into the fire that was creeping ever closer until her eyes began to sting. Feeling a light hand on her shoulder, Katara looked up.

"We should go," Zuko murmured quietly, also watching the fire. A sea of scarlet washed in his golden eyes, a reflection both of the flames and of the unforgivable thing he had done to another human being. "I won't be able to control all these flames at the rate they're spreading."

Katara nodded wordlessly, and turned around to face her family. They matched her haunted expression, but nodded too and began to walk away. No one glanced back at the fire.

They walked swiftly in silence until they had reached as close to the gates as they could get. People were screaming and banging on the heavy wooden gates as hard as they could, but the relentless gates would not budge. Appa was roaring and swaying dangerously as he attempted to avoid the masses of people. Aang quickly Airbended himself on top of the bison and began to shout to the confused people below, coughing slightly because of the smoke that was rising from the flames.

"Listen to me!" he shouted. His voice cracked with pain and many people stopped what they were doing and turned to him fearfully. "We need to break down these gates, but we can't do that unless you all move out of the way!"

"What about our homes? We can't just leave them!" someone yelled, and there were cries of agreement. Some townspeople turned back to the gates and began trying to beat them down again.

"There's nothing left for you here!" Aang called back, his face crumpling. "Nothing but fire."

"Toph, can you anything?" Sokka muttered urgently to his friend.

"I can't destroy the gates while there are so many people in front of them," she frowned, shaking her head.

"Get out of the way!" Sokka screamed, needing no further confirmation. "Come on, what's wrong with you? _Get out of the way!_"

He squared his shoulders and began to barge his way through the huddled crowd. Katara glanced around, alarmed to see that the buildings closest to her were beginning to catch fire.

"Zuko!" she screeched, tugging on his shoulder and pointing out the flames. He winced and quickly shook his shoulder away. Confused, Katara pulled her hand back, only to see it crimson with blood. Her eyes darted from her hands back up to Zuko's shoulder, and back again. "Are you-?"

"I'm fine," Zuko replied through gritted teeth. "But I have a plan. If I set these buildings on fire now, then there'll be nothing to catch fire to later. If it works, it could effectively stop the fire and buy us more time."

"Can't you just put out the fire?" Katara asked desperately, clutching at straws.

"Every time I put out one section, another just bursts into flames," Zuko shook his head. "Sokka and Aang have the crowds under control, or at least they will do in a moment. Just let me see if this works."

Katara nodded and stepped back. She caught Iroh's eye, and through his strained smile, she could see how much tension this was putting on him. She hadn't really thought of Iroh as old, just wise, but now she could see his frailty and uncertainty. She went over to him and patted his arm comfortingly.

"Do you think this will work?" she asked.

"No," Iroh replied truthfully, watching as his nephew closed his eyes in concentration and then shot flames towards the nearest house. "But it's worth a try."

Katara began to cough abruptly, and she realized that the smoke was getting thicker and deadlier. Clutching her chest, she ran over to Zuko and held onto his arm, dragging him back and away from the fire. She wondered why he couldn't do anything. He was a Firebender, but his fear was restricting him.

"Come on," Katara wheezed. Zuko nodded and began to lead the way. Katara allowed herself to be pulled along to where Appa stood nervously, and where Aang was still bellowing out instructions. The heat was becoming unbearable, and everyone's breathing was becoming labored. Still, people were beginning to listen to Aang and were dubiously moving out of the way, clustering together to avoid the flames. Once enough people were out of the way for Toph to get a clear shot at the gates, she ran forward and plunged her fists into the solid ground. Onlookers watched, stunned, as the dry ground below them began to crack and quake rapidly towards the old wooden gates. The earth crumbled and caved in and people ran back in fright, as though Sokka and Aang hadn't warned them all to move. Finally, with a satisfying _crack_, the ground beneath the gates gave way, and the old wood splintered. The townspeople surged forward as one, climbing quickly over the gates and crawling through any gaps they could find. In less than a minute, almost all of Siyu had been evacuated, leaving only the Avatar and his group.

"Get on Appa!" Aang roared to his friends from the top of the bison. The teenagers and Iroh scrambled towards the beast and quickly mounted him. By this time, the fire had demolished all the buildings and was quickly spreading to what remained of the gates. Growling at the flames, Appa lifted off the ground and flew into the sky, all his passengers hanging on for dear life. Zuko, who had clambered on Appa last after making sure the group was on safely first, clutched both Katara's hand and Appa's side, still evidently not too keen on flying. Katara squeezed his hand back, and shut her eyes momentarily against the dark night, forever tainted with the flames of the damned.

As Katara opened her eyes again, she saw the group watching the town they had just fled in solemn silence. She knew that they all wanted to stop and help the homeless townspeople as much as she did, but she also knew that if they did, it would be near impossible to leave again. The kindest thing to do for everyone involved was to cut all ties and just forget. This wasn't how she had expected this night to end, with Jia and Akio dead and the town in ruin. There was no sense of victory or freedom; there was just guilt and regret.

The bright moon shone down on the townspeople, many on their knees in desperation. The sand lay eternally neutral as angry men rained down their fists upon it in blind rage. The cool night's breeze blew softly around the new refugees as they watched everything they had ever known and loved burn before their helpless eyes.

There was a soft crackling in the air as the fire diminished, and then silence as the last remaining structure collapsed, taking with it the spirit of the once-great Siyu.

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**A/N:**

Thank you for your reviews, and I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. Until next time,

- Momo


	16. Aftermath

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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Raea watched her home burn down with stinging tears in her eyes. The fire hissed and spat as it curled around the wooden gates, crushing them to nothing more than cinders. There came a great _crack _as the gates collapsed and the fire slowly burned out. The tears fell freely as Raea looked around her. Many of the townspeople were on their knees, screaming and crying as their worldly possessions became nothing more than ash. A few people wandered around, stunned and confused, still in a state of shock. Children were shrieking in their mother's arms, terrified by the heat and the panic that surrounded them. The thick, heavy smoke slunk from Siyu and surrounded the victims menacingly.

Above their heads, the Avatar's bison flew safely away, unscathed by the battle, whereas the people they left behind had lost everything. Men and even some women were openly cursing the Avatar and his friends, damning them to eternal torment. Raea couldn't join in, yet she didn't condone the group for what they had cast upon Siyu. Suddenly stricken with remembrance, she looked around desperately for her family. Her elderly grandmother lay feebly just a few feet away. Her eyes were shut, and at once Raea's heart leapt. Her feet sinking into the soft sand, she ran over to where her carer lay and knelt beside her.

"Gran?" she whispered, immediately fearing the worst. A torturous few seconds passed, before Raea's grandmother's eyes fluttered.

"Rae?"

"It's me, Gran," Raea nodded, tears streaming. 'Rae' was the nickname that her grandmother had given to her at birth. Raea had always used to think of nicknames to give her grandmother - but Ling was not an easy name to think of nicknames for. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm just lying here for the fun of it," Ling chuckled. Her laughter died in her throat as she began to cough, inhaling dangerous amounts of smoke.

"C'mon, Gran," Raea muttered, placing her hands under Ling's armpits and trying to hoist her up. "We need to get out of here before the smoke gets to you even more."

However, Ling weakly waved away her granddaughter and shook her head, still wheezing slightly.

"There are other people who need your help…people who have much more life left to live than I do."

"They can wait, you're more-"

"No, Rae." Ling's coughing became more severe, and she continued breathlessly, "Help them."

Raea nodded again, tears still falling uncontrollably. She bent down briefly to kiss her beloved grandmother's head.

"You're all I have left," she whispered. "I love you so much."

"Love you too, Rae," Ling replied, smiling faintly. "I want you to know how proud I am of you. You chose the right side when it mattered. Didn't turn out so great, but you chose the right side."

"Thank you," Raea whispered. Ling nodded, before coughing violently again. "Don't die on me," Raea instructed, although hope was fading. "I mean it."

"I'll try my best," Ling promised. "Now, go."

Trying not to completely break down, Raea got to her feet slowly. She glanced around through the smoke, trying to decide who to help first. So many were screaming and shouting that it was hard to concentrate. Not to mention her own breathing was becoming more and more labored. Figuring it better to start with the people nearest to her, Raea scurried through the thick haze to the nearest crouching figure.

"Are you okay?" she asked, putting her hand onto the person's shoulder. When the young man looked up, Raea's heart swelled with relief.

"Toru!" she flung her arms around his neck. He looked a little surprised, but quickly hugged her back fiercely.

"I'm fine," he replied to her earlier question, gently disentangling himself. "How are you?"

"I've been better," Raea admitted, tear tracks staining her cheeks. "We need to help the injured."

"Agreed. But…where to start?"

The young couple looked around them at the suffering of their neighbors. Some were starting to collect themselves, picking themselves and their loved ones off the sand and standing up shakily. There were already people tending to the fallen and the wounded, leaving next to nothing for Raea and Toru to do.

"Is that Sarava?" Toru asked suddenly, pointing out a small figure faltering her way through the compressed crowds, crying as she stumbled around. Without anymore words, Raea and Toru ran to the young girl, fighting off the crush of people with a loud 'spread out!'.

"Sarava, where's your mommy?" Raea asked as soon as she reached the child. The girl's knees were scraped from where she must've fallen over and her clothes were ripped and torn.

"I d-don't know," Sarava wailed, rubbing her tiny face with her delicate hands to wipe away the tears. "I haven't seen her since the dance and that was ages ago!"

"Oh no," Toru murmured besides Raea. He evidently had the same horrible thoughts that she was having: Sarava's mother had not made it out of Siyu alive. However, no sooner had Toru uttered the doubtful words, than a small, dark-haired woman fought her way viciously through the crowds and quickly scanned the scene. When she saw the young girl, she gasped and sprinted towards the child.

"Mommy!" Sarava squealed, turning around and catching sight of her mother. Sarava's mother scooped her daughter up and held her tightly, sobbing into the girl's shoulder. "Mommy, I didn't know where you were. You scared me," Sarava scolded.

"I'm sorry, baby," Sarava's mother whispered, beaming through her tears now that she had found her precious child. "I was scared too, believe me."

"Promise not to leave me again?" Sarava asked, her voice growing softer.

"I promise," Sarava's mother swore. "As long as you don't leave me."

"I won't," Sarava smiled. She paused, a worried expression casting over her slim face. "Where are we going to live now?"

Sarava's mother put her daughter down sadly, making sure the child grasped her hand tightly so that they wouldn't get separated again.

"I'm not sure, honey," she replied gravely. Then, turning to Raea and Toru, she smiled gratefully. "Thank you so much for looking after Sarava. She's all I have left. I don't know what I'd do if she'd…" the woman cut off with a sob.

Raea nodded and smiled back. Toru put his arm around Raea and she smiled up at him. Her smile quickly became a frown as she remembered her sick grandmother.

"Gran," she breathed, taking Taro's free hand and quickly leading him through the crowds to where the motionless Ling lay. Raea's eyes widened and she shook her head as her grandmother remained still and not breathing.

"No," she whispered, bending down and shaking her grandmother gently. "Gran, wake up!"

"I'm so sorry," Toru murmured, bending down next to Raea and encasing her in his arms, where she wept freely.

Hin, Jia and Akio's father, stood numbly only yards away, lost in his world of grief. People knew to leave him alone, but sent him the odd pitying glance. Only his closest friends approached him, murmuring their condolences.

A little way along, a gaggle of people stood, discussing what would happen next. The smoke was steadily beginning to clear, leaving the night air clean.

"Did any of the Elders get out?" one man asked in hushed tones, still afraid of discussing Siyu's leaders even after their demise.

"Nah, don't think so," replied another. "The dance was fun, so they steered clear. By the time they knew about the fire, it was probably too late."

The group bowed their heads in momentary respect.

"Ah well, that's life!" grinned a woman. The others laughed and agreed heartily, knowing that the Elders would not be missed. Then the wind blew gently, and the scent of extinct fire filled their nostrils. The group quickly became sober as they remembered what and who they had lost.

"What will we do now?" a boy asked sadly, clinging to his mother's hand. Everyone sighed in unison, before giving the answer that they did not know.

After a long while, the new refugees took one last, sad look at the ruins that had once been home, and began to traipse across the desert, their cries haunting the night.

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**A/N:**

**I know this is a really short chapter, but I'll update the next one tonight (because I'm cool like that :P Heh, just kidding, it's because you're all awesome). I wanted to show the reactions of the ex-townspeople, which I hope I achieved well in this chapter. Hope you enjoyed, thank you for your amazing reviews for the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy the next, much longer, chapter…I'm sad to say we're reaching the end of this fanfic.**

**- Momo**


	17. Pride And Promises

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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Katara turned away from the demolished town, turning her back on the innocent once more. She couldn't form the words to express the pain she felt at what had gone on in the past few hours; it was too much for one person to deal with. And yet, here they all were, dealing like they always had to. Zuko had silently removed his hand from on top of hers and would not meet her eyes. His own beautiful golden eyes were blank and he seemed lost in thought, a small frown on his face. Aang stared glumly down at his hands, Sokka lay on his back watching the moon, Toph's head was bent low and Iroh looked sadly back at the town they had effectively destroyed. Everyone was avoiding the others' eyes.

It was insane that they should feel guilty about what happened to Siyu, and yet guilt was exactly the emotion they suffered from. Katara tried listing all the reasons that it wasn't their fault that Jia and Akio were dead and too many people were now homeless. She got to the first reason (because there was always casualties in battle and the fire wasn't their responsibility) and then had to give up. Momo looked forlorn as he crept down from Appa's head curled up next to Sokka.

Even the night seemed disgusted with what the Avatar's group had done; the starts only glimmered dimly and the moon was barely visible from behind the dark clouds. The silence was painful, and only served to allow the teenagers and elderly man to wallow in what had just transpired.

"Kuei," Toph said suddenly. All eyes raised reluctantly to her. Although she couldn't see anyone, Toph got the feeling that no one was in the mood to talk. "We left him back there," she finished, mumbling.

"He chose to stay in Siyu," Zuko muttered, turning his head away again.

"That was before he knew it was going to get burnt down," Sokka pointed out, monotone.

"It was still his decision," Zuko snapped, narrowing his eyes. "He wanted a normal life…someone should have told him that included all the bad things as well."

"I don't think having your future home ruined beyond repair can really fall into the 'bad things' category. More like 'catastrophic'," Toph murmured, absently picking at her short, scruffy nails.

The cold night air filled with bitter silence again as each person on Appa brooded and thought about what was to come.

"I wonder what happened to the Elders?" Katara asked quietly after a few minutes. This had been playing on her mind ever since she had first seen the fire. The Elders would probably deem themselves too good to be involved with fights set up between teenage girls and stayed in the town hall.

"Dead, probably," Aang replied almost incoherently. Zuko flinched almost unnoticeably at the Avatar's reply, but didn't say anything. Katara placed a comforting hand over Zuko's, but he snatched his hand away, scowling and not looking at her. Hurt, Katara slowly pulled her hand away and went back to staring at the sand.

"Where are we going to go now?" Iroh asked, his aged voice betraying his concern.

"I'm getting tired of answering that," Aang replied with a sigh, playing with the fur on Appa's neck.

"It does seem like every time we go somewhere new, it ends with that question," Sokka nodded, his tone only slightly regretful.

"We should start heading for the Fire Nation," Katara said softly. "We've already lost so much time."

"The eclipse is in, what, a week? Will we even make it to the Fire Nation in time?" Toph asked dubiously.

"We'll have to try," Aang shrugged. "And we need some better maps so we know where we're going. I've never been there, but apparently the Western Air Temple is somewhere near to the Fire Nation capital."

"It is," Iroh nodded. When his companions gave him looks of question, he squirmed uncomfortably. "It was the first Air temple the Fire Nation attacked."

Aang nodded slightly, not seeming as upset as Katara had thought he would be to hear this. Instead, he looked contemplative.

"So we can hide out there until the eclipse. I can learn Firebending…that is, if you'd still be willing to teach me," he added to Iroh, who nodded.

"It would be an honor."

"Okay then," Aang nodded again. "Then that's next few days sorted."

"It's just getting there that we need to worry about," Sokka said, sitting up. "Plus food and water, weaponry and getting into the Fire Nation unseen."

"That does sound like a challenge," Toph grinned. "I like a challenge."

"Then you're going to _love _this next week," Sokka sighed.

"Bring it on, is what I say," Toph shrugged.

"You'll regret saying that," Sokka predicted.

The banter continued for the next few minutes, but neither Zuko or Katara paid any attention. Zuko continued to avoid Katara's eyes, much to her annoyance and hurt. Did he blame her for something? Had she made some serious error in the past couple of hours (apart from take part in a battle that destroyed an entire town) that she was unaware of? Instead of answering these painful questions, Katara settled for watching the sand sadly. A month ago, she had no idea where Zuko was and the Avatar's group was just entering Ba Sing Se.

"-land soon," someone pointed out, catching Katara's attention; the sooner they landed, the sooner she could ask Zuko what was the matter.

"Where are we landing?" she asked, impatient now. "When?"

"Hold your ostrich-horses," Sokka said, eyebrows raised. "We were just talking about that, which you would know, had you been listening."

"I was listening," Katara muttered defensively, but said nothing more as she waited for the reply to her question.

"We'll have to land in the desert tonight, and then do a couple of days straight flying if we hope to even get close to the Western Air Temple," Iroh told Katara, who nodded thoughtfully.

"We should land in the next half hour then," she murmured, darting a fleeting look at Zuko. He stubbornly ignored her. She sighed and turned back to the endless sea of sand. If anyone noticed this, they thankfully kept quiet. Katara didn't think she would be able to deal with probing answers on top of everything else that had happened that night.

"At least we've got some better supplies this time," Toph said a couple of moments later, noticing the awkward silence. "More weapons, more stuff to camp on…yep, definitely better."

No one answered. If they were like Katara, then they were thinking of how they had come to acquire such items and feeling the sinking familiar feeling of guilt washing over them. The only sounds for awhile were the steady breaths of the survivors, each silent thought screaming in their minds.

It was a long flight.

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After what seemed like hours, Appa started to harshly descend. Katara looked up as she felt this, only to see the group all staring glumly at the sand beneath them. The bison was apparently dropping of his own accord, seeing as Aang lay against his neck, absently stroking tufts of fur.

"Uh, Aang?" Katara asked, unable to summon panic into her voice. "Appa's falling asleep."

Within moments of her words, the group were all sat upright, staring over Appa's side to watch the ground almost hurtle towards them. Everyone except Toph and Zuko, that was. Aang stood up shakily and made his way to Appa's head, muttering words into the bison's ear. A second passed, before Appa groaned loudly and slowed down.

"I guess we're stopping here for the night?" Toph asked, unconcerned that they had narrowly avoided danger. Maybe because, compared to what had happened in Siyu, falling out of the sky and slamming into the ground didn't sound so bad.

"We'll have to," Aang replied, almost apologetically. "Appa's really tired."

"Fair enough," Sokka shrugged. "But I don't think we'll get any sleep anyway."

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Sokka snored loudly, rolling over and grumbling in his sleep. All the others, who were still awake, groaned and Katara threw a makeshift pillow at her brother's head. It had taken them awhile to unload Appa, a lot longer than it had taken them a week ago. Still, now they each had their own small blanket to lie on, and Iroh had even thought to pick up soft cases filled with sheep-pig's wool stuffed inside. After helping to light the fire, Zuko shuffled his 'bed' to the far corner of the group, turning on his side so that he wouldn't have to look at anyone. It bothered Katara and Iroh more than it bothered anyone else, particularly since they, Aang, Toph and Sokka had all positioned their sleeping materials next to the fire, creating a cosy little circle.

"Hunh?" Sokka grunted, opening his eyes blearily to see the rest of the group glaring furiously at him. "What?"

"Snoozles, if you don't stop your God damn snoring then I won't be held responsible for my actions," Toph threatened grouchily, laying face down on her blanket so that her voice came out muffled.

"I was snoring?" Sokka asked innocently. The group groaned again and Aang rolled his eyes.

"You keep up that volume and the Fire Lord will know we're coming," he warned, propping himself up onto his elbows to get a better look at his friend.

Zuko, Katara noticed, had not moved since shuffling his sleeping mat away. Now, however, at the mention of his father, he twitched slightly. Instinctively, she frowned and stood up, meaning to help. Eyes flicked to her, inquisitively, but she kept her focus and they soon looked away. Her feet sinking softly into the sand, she plodded over to where Zuko lay, once more unmoving. The others were talking now in quiet tones, but Katara had a feeling that they would be eavesdropping.

"Are you alright? You seem a little…" Katara searched for the right word, "quiet."

"I'm fine," Zuko muttered, his voice low and dangerous.

"But-"

"I said I'm fine!" Zuko snapped, standing up swiftly and glaring at Katara.

"I'm hungry. Is anyone else hungry? I think we should go and find some food," Toph suggested, oh so subtly giving Katara and Zuko some alone time.

"Or, we could just stay here," Sokka shrugged, eager to get a front row seat to witness the fight.

"I think Toph is right," Iroh decided, standing up. Toph and Aang followed suit. Sokka, however, stayed put.

"You guys go ahead," he waved an arm in their direction, "I'll be fine here."

"Snoozles, you're coming with us, whether we have to force you to or not," Toph threatened. She took a quavering step in Sokka's direction - her sight was impaired on the fine sand - to show that she was serious.

"Fine, whatever," Sokka grumbled. "But you're making me miss-"

"Sokka, shut up," Aang advised bleakly, taking the older boy's arm and beginning to pull him away from the camp. Iroh threw a sympathetic glance back at his nephew and Katara, before exiting the camp with Toph.

Zuko, after his initial glare, still refused to meet Katara's eyes. He stared into the fire, his expression darkly unreadable. Katara reached for his arm gently, but he jerked it away with a snarl.

"What is the matter with you?" Katara asked, desperation and annoyance colliding in her voice. The fire beside her was an obvious hint at what was getting Zuko aggravated, but she ignored the sign. "In case you didn't notice, you weren't the only one there tonight! We all fought, we all escaped, we're all alive. I don't know what you're problem is, but-"

"I killed someone!" Zuko interrupted, his eyes snapping up to hers. Katara was startled to see that his eyes were shining with suppressed tears. "I stuck the swords into Akio's gut and I looked him in the eyes as I did it."

Katara stood motionless, trying to process what Zuko had told her. He had, of course, hinted at this back in Siyu, but it was a different thing to hear him confess to killing someone so openly. His eyes were fiercely defensive and they dared her to say something. Katara's own eyes drifted slowly to the fire beside her as she thought of what to say.

"You did it because you had to," she murmured. "Akio wouldn't have spared your life, we both know that. Once you were dead, he'd have gone on to kill more people. Innocent people."

"I'm becoming more like my father," Zuko whispered, having apparently ignored Katara's attempt and soothing him.

"Don't say that," Katara commanded, taking his hand. He didn't pull away, but didn't look at her either. "You are nothing like your father."

"Don't be so sure," Zuko replied quietly. "I'm burning down people's homes, I've killed someone, I'm hated by many…all I need now is the official title of Fire Lord and I'll be exactly like my father."

Again, Katara knew that Zuko must have started the fire that destroyed Siyu, but it was still a little painful to hear him admit to it. Nevertheless, she shook her head.

"Akio threatened a little girl, just so he could gain a little glory. He manipulated us and thrived in the pain it caused. There's no honor in killing someone, but there's certainly no dishonor in stopping a murderer."

"In stopping the murderer, I became the murderer myself," Zuko spat, his hand heating up in Katara's. "And the thing is, I don't regret it! I'd do it again if I had the chance. The things he threatened to do to you when I was dead-"

"I don't need to know," Katara shook her head, guessing what kind of disgusting things Akio had described.

"I swore that I'd protect you," Zuko continued, his golden eyes locking with her sapphire ones. "And that's exactly what I did. But in protecting you I pushed you away…I've already lost my temper with you once, and I'll regret it for the rest of my life. Now that I know what I'm capable of, I shouldn't be around you. I shouldn't hurt anyone else."

"So you were being standoffish because you love me?" Katara asked, trying hard to keep the biting incredulity out of her quiet voice. "That's…really stupid." Zuko's eyes flashed towards her and she smiled slightly. "Do you really think I'd be here alone with you if I thought you were able to hurt me?"

"Leaving the issue of your lack of judgement behind for the moment, I don't understand how you still want to be with me…I don't regret what I did, but it wasn't one of my prouder moments."

"You have nothing to be ashamed of," Katara whispered, bringing her free hand up and softly caressing Zuko's scar. He closed his eyes and bent his head into her gentle touch.

"I'm sorry I'm such a screw-up," he murmured. Katara placed her thumb over Zuko's mouth to shut him up.

"You're not a screw-up, trust me," she replied softly. "You're everything that I could ever want and need in one person. I could never be embarrassed by you, or feel disappointed in you."

"You say that now," Zuko said with a small chuckle. "Just wait. I'll probably do something in the next few days to make you change your mind."

"That's right, ruin the moment," Katara laughed, placing both hands down by her sides.

"It's what I'm best at," Zuko shrugged. "You know I'm not exactly into talking about how I feel."

"You never have a problem telling the world that you don't like my brother," Katara pointed out playfully.

"Well, okay, you know I'm not exactly into talking about my positive feelings."

"We don't have to talk," Katara murmured, kissing him softly. She pulled back to see his reaction.

"Works for me," Zuko replied smiling, as he gently drew Katara closer to him and kissed her back.

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"Think it's safe to go back yet?" Aang asked, scooping up the sand.

"Are you afraid of them fighting, or of them making up?" Toph asked slyly. The group were all sitting or lying on the sand, bored.

"A little of both," Aang admitted quietly, looking at the grains below him.

"So what if they're making up? That should only take a couple of minutes…I say we go back now!" Sokka whined impatiently.

"And if they're still fighting?" Iroh asked, his eyebrows raised. He didn't like the way Sokka disrespected his younger sister's relationships and wouldn't let her be happy because of his prejudices.

"Then we could go and watch," Sokka grinned. At the dirty looks he received from everyone but Aang, he sighed. "Doesn't it bother you that Zuko and Katara are together?"

"No," replied Iroh and Toph at once. Aang, again, remained silent.

"She's happy, he's happy, what's the problem?" Toph asked. She too didn't like Sokka trying to mess up her friends' relationship.

"They're happy with each other," Sokka said, wrinkling his nose. "No offence, Iroh, but Zuko isn't good enough for Katara."

"That isn't your decision," Iroh replied coolly.

"No one's good enough for Katara in your eyes, Snoozles," Toph said with a shrug.

"I don't know about that," Sokka answered, casting a glance at Aang, who stubbornly averted his eyes.

"Katara loves Zuko, and he loves her. You shouldn't question her judgement on something as serious as this. You don't know what went on when they were imprisoned in Ba Sing Se dungeons together, so you don't know how each helped the other," Iroh said, trying hard to maintain his usually level temper. "You've already demonstrated a remarkable determination to hate Zuko, despite redeeming himself and saving your life more than once, making your opinion both biased and unwanted."

There was a silence as the gentle breeze blew through the sands. Sokka looked affronted at Iroh's words, and opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, trying to think of a suitable comeback.

"He's got you there, Sokka," Aang sighed after a minute. "You know that I don't like it anymore than you do, but I guess we have to accept it." He stood up and gestured for the others to do the same. "We should head back. If they're still fighting, then we'll leave. If they're making up, we can stay."

Iroh and Toph nodded and stood, before walking slowly back to the camp. Sokka, grumbling under his breath, heaved himself up and trudged after them with a face like thunder. He didn't stop muttering until they had completed the short walk. Standing next to the flames in a semi-passionate clinch were Zuko and Katara.

"Oh, come on!" Sokka complained loudly. Katara jumped and stepped back hurriedly, smiling sheepishly at her brother. Zuko merely rolled his eyes and nodded in greeting to his uncle and Toph. The Avatar, he noticed, was scowling off in another direction.

"I'm learning to accept your _relationship_," Sokka uttered the word as though it were taboo, "with this guy. I'm not ready to walk in on him eating your face."

Katara hit Sokka on the head in rebuke. "He was not 'eating my face', what a stupid thing to say. Also, not the cleverest, seeing as there are plenty of things I can say about you and Suki."

The siblings continued arguing, but soon their words became nothing more than playful teasing. Meanwhile, Zuko was talking quietly to Iroh, and Toph had gone off to talk to Aang.

"I want you to know that there was no honor in what you did," Iroh was saying to his nephew.

"I know," Zuko nodded, hanging his head. "But I had to do it."

"Taking another's life is a serious matter, Zuko. It is an act of cowardice and weakness." Again, Zuko nodded, however Iroh hadn't finished. "There is never an excuse for killing someone…but I believe that Akio would have gone on to unspeakable acts of horror had you not stopped him."

"There was no reason for Jia to die as well," Zuko spat bitterly, narrowing his eyes at his misplaced anger.

"I'm not so sure," Iroh disagreed softly. He looked over to Sokka and Katara, who were still exchanging good-humoured banter. Zuko, following the direction of his uncle's gaze, looked over too. "One of my biggest regrets in life is that you and your sister are not closer."

Zuko made a loud noise of scathing disbelief and looked away.

"I'm serious," Iroh said. "You will never know the bond of siblings, especially that as strong as Sokka and Katara's…or Jia and Akio's."

"Somehow I don't think Azula was ever into sibling bonding. Unless she counted attacking me and making my life miserable as bonding, which would actually explain a lot."

"Akio was all that Jia had left. I could tell she was not particularly close to her father, despite the front she displayed, and her mother and youngest brother were gone. The moment she saw you standing there in battle, she knew she was going to die."

"Suicide is for the weak," Zuko snarled, just repeating on of the many mantras his father had drilled into him.

"If Katara and I did not survive the next battle, would you wish to carry on living?" Iroh asked. He hated himself for even thinking about such things, but he needed to make Zuko see his point.

"That's different," Zuko replied hesitantly after a moment.

"Is it?" Iroh's eyebrows rose in question.

Zuko looked back to Katara, watching her face spread into a warm smile at something Sokka had just said. Zuko then looked over to Sokka. The boy was protective of his sister, that much was sure. But when he looked closer, Zuko could see the love in the warrior's eyes. When the time came for battle, Sokka would fight just as hard as Zuko if Katara was in danger.

"You would both give your lives for her," Iroh murmured. "You see, you're not that different."

Zuko nodded wordlessly, looking back to his uncle. He hoped the sincere gratitude he felt showed in his eyes, because he felt unable to say anything. Iroh clapped a proud hand onto his nephew's shoulder, smiling. Zuko smiled back and slowly walked over to where Sokka and Katara stood, hearing the end of their conversation.

"-wish we'd been there to see that," Katara laughed. "Gran Gran probably got the fright of her life!"

"Dad and Bato did some pretty stupid things," Sokka agreed, also laughing. "But they can't compare to us. Travelling with the Avatar…that'll be something to tell our-" Sokka noticed Zuko standing there awkwardly. "grandchildren," Sokka finished off with considerably less enthusiasm. "But of course, some of us already have our own ready-made legacy to brag about."

"I haven't done much worth bragging about," Zuko admitted. This was going to make a serious dint in his pride, but it had to be done. As long as Zuko reminded himself that this was for Katara, then he could get through this. "Sokka, I'm sorry about everything myself and my country have put you, your friends and family through. I've done some unforgivable things that I deeply regret, but I hope we can put that behind us and make a fresh start."

Completely putting his pride and humility on the line, Zuko held out his hand to the Water Tribe warrior. Sokka, stunned, stared for a moment, before slowly extending his own hand to meet the Fire Prince's. The two enemies shook hands, uneasily at first, before gradually becoming more comfortable. Katara remained silent, but observed the two young men in astonishment, afraid that if she said anything then it would break the strange spell that they had fallen under.

After a moment, Sokka nodded and released Zuko's handshake.

"Maybe you're not the same person that you once were," Sokka mumbled, hating admitting that he may have been wrong. "If you fight alongside us, no matter what, then we can put the past behind us."

"Thank you," Zuko nodded, bowing his head slightly in gratitude.

"But please, believe me," Sokka continued seriously, "if you ever betray Katara or any of us again, I will kill you."

It wasn't a threat as such, more a warning. Still, Sokka's deep blue eyes, similar and yet so different to his sister's, looked into Zuko's, radiating sincerity.

"I believe you," Zuko replied, just as seriously. "But I will never betray the ones I love and my companions again."

"Then we shouldn't have a problem," Sokka said, a tad lighter now. "Mind if I talk to Katara alone?"

Zuko shrugged. "Go for it," he nodded, before smiling at Katara and joining his uncle once more.

Katara watched Zuko go, and then turned back to Sokka, smiling.

"That was a very nice thing you did," she praised.

"Yeah, well," Sokka shrugged. "Guess we had to accept sometime, didn't we?"

Katara laughed. Her smile faded as her eyes switched from Zuko back to her brother. "It was a little extreme, telling him that you'd kill him if he betrayed us again. And I notice that you used my name before everyone else's…" she hoped her brother knew what she was getting at.

"I saw your face at the dinner table when Zuko told everyone that you were dating. As mad as I was at you for keeping it a secret, I was furious at him because I could see how much pain that caused you. Even when he sided with Azula, every time you described his betrayal afterwards, it seemed to hurt you so badly. You're my sister, and it's my job to protect you," Sokka partly mumbled this last bit. Katara, beaming, threw her arms around his neck so that he almost lost his balance.

"You can be annoying and stupid at times, but you're the best big brother ever!" she told him, unable to stop grinning. "I love you so much."

Sokka patted his sister awkwardly on the shoulder. "Uh, I love you too sis, but I just threatened to kill your boyfriend. I thought you'd be more upset with me."

Katara stepped back, still smiling. "It's not what you said, it's the way that you said it. You were warning him, whereas before you'd have just outright threatened him. I'm so proud of you!"

"I don't quite understand what you just said, but thanks!" Sokka grinned.

A few moments later, Aang and Toph shuffled over, closely followed by Zuko and Iroh. Sokka yawned widely.

"I'm tired," he said, "is anyone else tired?"

"Exhausted," Katara agreed. "I think we should actually try and get some sleep this time."

"Sounds like a plan," Toph replied, stretching and ambling over to her sleeping mattress. She promptly collapsed and, seconds later, began snoring lightly.

"Damn, wish I could get to sleep that fast," Sokka muttered, also walking over to his sleeping spot and settling down.

"It comes with age," Iroh assured him, following in the footsteps of his young friends.

Soon, only Zuko, Katara and Aang remained standing. The silence that had once been comfortable between Katara and Aang had grown steadily more awkward. Zuko quickly cleared his throat.

"I'll move my sleeping stuff next to yours," he muttered to Katara. "If that's alright."

"You know it is," Katara replied, smiling. Zuko walked off, and Aang stormed after him. For a heart-stopping moment, Katara thought that Aang was going to fight Zuko, but Aang veered off and slumped onto his sleeping material. Katara sighed, knowing that Aang wasn't happy, but not knowing what to do about it. Her feelings for Aang hadn't changed even though she was now with Zuko; he was her best friend, her brother, and she couldn't live without him. Yet she couldn't live without Zuko now either. The two enemies would have to accept that if they both wanted any form of relationship with Katara. With this in mind, Katara made her way to her own sleeping mattress (careful to step over Sokka who was snoring peacefully) and lay down slowly. Zuko placed his things next to hers and smiled. She smiled back, before laying her head down on her small pillow and shutting her eyes. For the first time in a few nights, she was happy once more.

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**A/N:**

**It's 11.45pm here, I still have 15 minutes to make my deadline! Hope you all enjoyed, and this is the penultimate chapter I'm sad to say. As I was saying to Ogro earlier, I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't write any final battles between the Gaang and Ozai before the actual Avatar series has. It's weird, but I'm weird, so you'll have to deal :P I have another story pretty much mapped out in my head, which I'll give you a short synopsis of next chapter. Hope you all enjoyed, thanks for your reviews (:**

**I can't read through this chapter for mistakes - damn my limited time on this computer! - so sorry if there are any grammar or spelling mistakes.**

**On quick side notes, I went to watch Within Temptation in concert on Thursday night, and they were amazing:D It's been exactly one year since The Crossroads of Destiny aired :D I'd like to dedicate this chapter to a friend on the forums named Jane, who has just been diagnosed with cancer. My thoughts are with her for a speedy recovery (:**

**How awesome was Day of Black Sun? Oh my God, it was incredible :D**

**Anyway, I'll stop typing now and let you get on with your lives :P**

**Have a good week!**

**- Momo**


	18. The Life We Had

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last neither Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

ANOTHER DISCLAIMER: The lyrics at the end of this chapter belong to Three Days Grace and their record company. These lyrics fit in with the fanfiction, even though the best Three Days Grace song is "I Hate Everything About You" (:

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"Move it or lose it, Princey!" Toph hollered from Appa's back. Zuko, lugging the majority of the group's possessions on his back, growled lowly.

"Lose what?" he muttered to Katara, who helped him carry the clutter.

"I don't think you want to know," she laughed, hoisting the blankets into Sokka's outstretched hands.

"I really don't like the way she speaks to me," Zuko frowned to Katara, going back to the campsite and rolling up more blankets. "And how come we got lumbered with all their stuff?"

"I don't think anyone likes the way Toph speaks to them," Katara rolled her eyes, picking up a thick blanket. "And we got 'lumbered with their stuff' because, according to Sokka, we deserve it for keeping secrets." She carried the blanket over to her brother, before wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. Days in the desert, in contrast to nights, were ridiculously hot, especially without any shade or limitless water.

"Damn straight," Sokka called gleefully, pulling up the latest blanket and throwing it carelessly to the back of Appa's saddle where the rest of their possessions had been strewn. He, Toph and Iroh lazed on the saddle luxuriously, waiting for Zuko and Katara to finish loading their things so they could set off. "You keep secrets, you carry our stuff. It's the new group rule."

"Have I mentioned how much I don't like rules?" Zuko grumbled, his feet sinking into the soft golden sand as he squinted against the glaring sun.

"I never would've guessed," Katara teased. "We're almost done anyway, quit complaining."

"But I like complaining," Zuko said, pretending to look disappointed. "It helps to pass the time."

His foot nudged something sharp in the sand and he cursed under his breath. Bending down as much as he could without causing the blanket to fall, Zuko examined the object and found it to be Sokka's boomerang. Smiling evilly, he kicked sand over the weapon to conceal it. Katara noticed this and raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"Relax, as soon as he figures out it's gone, I'll give it back," Zuko told her, still grinning. "Then again, this is Sokka we're talking about…he may never figure it out."

Katara rolled her eyes but smiled at his comment. Picking up the last blanket, she felt an odd twinge as the realisation that they were leaving the desert hit her. She wouldn't miss the searing heat of the day, or the icy coolness of the night, nor would she miss the lack of food, water, shade…

"I'm really glad we're leaving here," Katara muttered, clambering onto Appa once everything had been loaded onto the bison.

"You say that now, but you'll miss the…uh," Sokka started, casting around for inspiration and failing. "Sand?" he finished weakly.

"Because there's just so much fun to be had with sand," Toph drawled sarcastically.

"Sandcastles are fun," Sokka objected.

"Face it, Snoozles, the desert sucks. It's too hot."

"The Fire Nation will be hotter! Tell her, Zuko," Sokka protested, turning to the banished Prince, who had just finished setting down everything and climbing on Appa.

"Sorry, Toph, he's right," Zuko shrugged, hiding his surprise that the Water Tribe boy had asked for his input in an argument. "But at least in the Fire Nation we have shade."

"And running water," Iroh chipped in.

Aang sat sullenly on Appa's head, refusing to join in the conversation. Katara's heart swelled with pity, but there was nothing she could do. Aang would accept Zuko in his own time, and she couldn't speed up the process, no matter how much she wanted to. All she could do was wait. In the meantime, she sat herself down next to Zuko and leant against his shoulder, smiling.

"I trust that my shoulder is still comfortable?" he murmured into her ear. She giggled and nodded, lifting her head to meet his lips.

"Whoa!" Sokka cut across sharply. "Just because I'm somewhat accepting of the freak-show you call a relationship, does not mean that I want to see you making out!"

Katara sighed and pulled her face away to glare at her brother. "Again, plenty of things I can say about you and Suki."

"At least Suki and I kept ourselves private." At Katara's raised eyebrows, he shrugged. "Well, we didn't flaunt it."

"Who's flaunting?" Zuko asked smugly, leaning down to kiss Katara again. Katara smirked but didn't join in Zuko's game.

"Y'know that thing I said last night, about killing you?" Sokka asked, his eyes narrowed at Zuko. "Yeah, I've decided that it isn't restricted to betraying us."

"You guys are pathetic," Toph grinned, a twinkle in her sightless eyes. "Can we please just get going so we can find the air temple and finally have a decent bed?"

"Kick some Fire Lord butt," Sokka yawned, stretching his arms.

"Save the world," Toph added.

"A typical week for us, really," Katara nodded.

"An excellent idea on all parts," Iroh agreed, although he looked amused at their comments. "Aang?"

"Sure. The sooner we get there, the better," the young Avatar replied.

"Then I guess it's goodbye to everything we lost this past week," Katara murmured, suddenly serious. "Siyu, Jia, Akio…"

The group fell into reflective silence, each personally mourning the deaths of the innocent and not so innocent. Aang quietly mumbled 'yip yip' and Appa, with a moan, set off into the azure sky. Katara continued leaning against Zuko's shoulder, glad that nothing could tear them apart. Everyone else kept silent with their heads down for a few minutes, still thinking about the people that they had not managed to save and the people whose lives they had ruined. The mood was sombre and sad. That was, until Sokka suddenly frowned:

"Wait…where's my boomerang?"

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_This world will never be what I expected, and if I don't belong, who would've guessed it?_

_Now and again we try to just stay alive, maybe we'll turn it all around 'cause it's not too late…it's never too late._

_No one will ever see this side reflected, and if there's something wrong, who would've guessed it? And I have left alone everything that I own, to make you feel like it's not too late…it's never too late._

_The world we knew won't come back,_

_The time we've lost - can't get it back,_

_The life we had won't be ours again…_

_This world will never be what I expected, and if I don't belong…_

_Even if I say it'll be alright, still I hear you say you want to end your life. Now and again we try to just stay alive, maybe we'll turn it all around 'cause it's not too late…it's never too late._

_Maybe we'll turn it all around 'cause it's not too late…it's never too late._

_It's not too late…it's never too late._

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**A/N:**

**Well…there you have it. The last chapter. Hope you enjoyed (:**

**My reviewers are, as ever, the most awesomest (yes, I'm aware that that isn't a word XD) people that I could ever hope for and a huge thank you to them all for inspiring me, complimenting me and lifting my spirits when things got tough for me in the 'real world'. I can't express my gratitude enough, I really can't.**

**I'm starting a new fanfiction soon, called "Sanctuary". For details, look on my profile under "In-Progress Fanfics". If you like the sound of it, then I'll see you there, if not, then I sincerely hope you've enjoyed "Never Too Late" and thank you for reading (:**

**I just want to let you all know that's it's really been fun writing both "The Journey" and "Never Too Late", and knowing that you've enjoyed it too makes it worthwhile. So, for the last time in this fanfiction…please review :D**

_**.Zutara Forever.**_

**- Momo**


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